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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28695819">The Devil Duke and Miss Granger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraAustralice/pseuds/AuroraAustralice'>AuroraAustralice</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adult Hermione Granger, Alternate Universe - Regency, Domestic Fluff, Drama &amp; Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Good Draco Malfoy, Regency Romance, Smut, Top Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:14:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>26,530</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28695819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraAustralice/pseuds/AuroraAustralice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One is war hero Duke and the other... a lady's companion living on the fringes of society. When Hermione Granger, spinster and lady's companion sees a note written to her beautiful cousin by the 'Devil Duke' himself asking for her hand in marriage. Hermione is unable to resist the urge to catch one glimpse of him, not like she can ever have him for herself. After all she's merely a companion, nobody he'd notice or even remember, or so she thinks. (Regency-Inspired)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>323</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione glanced furtively around, the ball was in full swing so she knew no one would notice her absence. After all, it was the wee hours before dawn and all the revellers were drunk on the fine wine and the heat suffused their powdered skin as they danced the night away.<br/>But she had a far more interesting evening planned, a shiver ran down her back as she clutched the parchment in her hand. The small scrap of paper was faded and creased, from being folded and unfolded again and again by nervous hands. She shouldn't be doing this, but by all that was holy nothing could stop her.<br/>She quickly and lightly mounted the steps that led to the back of the darkened house in stark contrast to its neighbour which was lit up with the blaze of a thousand candles and the sounds of laughter and merrymaking that broke the tranquil silence of the night's sky.<br/>The note had been to the young lady she was chaperoning, Miss Astoria Greengrass, written in a firm masculine scrawl. It was signed by the Duke of MacFoy... one of Miss Greengrass's many suitors during the London season. However, the young lady had been disinclined to accept the tall Scottish Duke's suit due to his notorious past and the fact that he was older than her. No, the young miss wanted a prince charming with the manners of Beau Brummell and the poetry skills of Byron.<br/>However, the rough no-nonsense script had intrigued Hermione, who at the age of twenty-eight should have known better than to let her curiosity get to her. But the opportunity had been too tempting, a masked ball... held just beside the Duke's home. And an opportunity to slip away unnoticed to hopefully put an end to this damnable fascination she had for the man known as the 'Devil Duke' in the scandal sheets.<br/>Hellfire! She had never even laid eyes on the man, yet she was drawn to him irresistibly. She had managed to successfully slip into his garden undetected, she slowly made her way into the hedges... spotting a light in one of the upper windows.<br/>Could she dare? She bit her lip hesitantly before deciding to damn the consequences. She was after all firmly on the shelf and certainly not the kind of woman who anyone from First Society would ever imagine getting caught in a scandalous situation like this.<br/>Noticing a sturdy apple tree, she quickly shucked off her cumbersome petticoats and slippers. Bare footed, she used the strength of her upper body to firmly grasp the trunk before slowly edging her body upwards. As she approached the upper branches, she couldn't help but let out a little squeal of delight, she was nearly close enough to peer into what looked like a masculine study.<br/>Oh... she thought breathlessly, someone was indeed sitting before the fire. Flattening herself against a thick branch she edged closer bit by bit, straining to look further in.<br/>...<br/>The 5th Duke of MacFoy, Draco was just settling down with a warm brandy in front of the roaring fire in his study when he heard the rustle of leaves like a shot in the dark. 'Twas a standard London night, heavy with the fumes of refuse from the Thames and the dampness of the drizzle.<br/>The sound of those leaves was utterly out of place, as an officer at the War Office and a soldier who served with Wellington in order to get rid of Napoleon... Draco was used to relying on his senses to get him out of dangerous situations. Indeed, it was those very same tingling senses that told him that he wasn't alone at this very second.<br/>He hadn't had a reason to doubt them in Portugal or in Calais... and he certainly wasn't about to doubt them right now. Keeping very still he watched out of his periphery while reaching for the large dirk he always carried upon his person. Never let it be said that Draco Malfoy, the 5th Duke of the MacFoy's was taken or killed without a struggle.<br/>...<br/>Hermione's skirt was snagged in one of the smaller branches. She gave it a quiet but vicious tug in the vain hope that it might loosen. She was very close to the window now, but she still hadn't gotten a glimpse of the 'Devil Duke' yet. He was thwarting her very carefully laid out plans and now she was stuck.<br/>While she tugged on her skirt, she didn't notice that the tall man had vacated the chair and a stealthy shadow had made its way to the window she had been unabashedly peeking through.<br/>Before she could raise a cry, the window was thrown open and her small body pulled inside unceremoniously. Before she could recover her breath, she was shoved up against the wall with fifteen stone of thoroughly enraged male bearing down upon her.<br/>Well thank god I still have my mask on, she thought,feeling slightly faint with fear. The man simply growled and pulled her serviceable black satin mask from her face before demanding in a voice as rough as woodsmoke.<br/>"Who are you?"<br/>So, this must be the Devil Duke then, she thought... slightly dazed. The fire casted off enough light for her to be able to study his face.<br/>"Who are you?" he demanded again, his voice low and threatening, "A spy? Tell me... did some French bastard send you... thinking you'd seduce me into my death sentence."<br/>"No... no..." she squeaked out, even though she was scared of getting caught like this...Hermione couldn't help but feel a thrill low in her belly. The Devil Duke wasn't an accurate name... not for someone who looked like him. The fire gave his golden countenance a harsh cast, making him look like a bronze avenging angel. She shuddered delicately, there was something punishing about his grip... firm and relentless. Unbidden, her mind conjured the image of those same rough hands on other parts of her body.<br/>She could barely breathe, he was unbelievably strong. She could feel his rough hands; one grasping her waist and the other close enough to squeeze her throat.<br/>"Then who are you?" he demanded.<br/>"I'm... I'm... Hermione Granger..." she stammered out. Dolt! She thought hopelessly.Why had she said it as if he was supposed to know who she was? Besides, she knew from all her horrid novels that giving up one's real name during the first encounter,especially one this clandestine in nature was taboo.<br/>And then all of a sudden, his hold becoming much more of a caress.<br/>"Tell me then Miss Granger, has Nott sent you... you're not my usual type, but you'll do."<br/>"What... er! No! I'm not a courtesan, you foolish man! What courtesan do you know would climb up on a tree to gain entry into your home?" she exclaimed in horror as his large hand closed around her small breast. Oh dear... oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! This evening had gotten away from her most spectacularly.<br/>"You're certainly too mouthy to be one." He muttered roughly, pushing her back, "Who are you then?" he scowled, his hard silver eyes boring into her own.<br/>Hermione racked her brain for a suitable excuse, "Me?!" she replied with false brightness, getting ready to tell a big lie. It didn't matter, she assured herself. After all this was the only time in her life, she was going to ever get a chance to speak to someone as exalted as a Duke.<br/>She doubted that he'd be able to find her after this, after all they moved in very different circles. He, the Duke of MacFoy and her cousin Astoria belonged to the Haute Mode and she was nothing more than a glorified lady's maid. Her position as Astoria's companion leaves her with no ability to live and lead a life of her own, no freedom and certainly no great wealth. She supposed that she should have felt grateful for her uncle, her dear cousin's Papa, for taking her in after the tragic death of her parent's in a carriage accident.<br/>However, the studious and contemplative atmosphere of Granger house in Sussex had been very different to the Greengrass household in London. Hermione's father had been a great scholar; a student of the Classics and her mother, a musical prodigy. While the Greengrass's preferred more earthy pursuits.<br/>The Granger’s house, while her parents were alive, had always been lit with the sounds of Hermione and her mother playing the pianoforte together or the solemn tones of her father's lectures given to a handful of young men as studious and serious as himself.<br/>After their death Hermione had been forced to give up the property that she had grown up in, after all women were still not allowed to own property and she had had to move to her uncle's home as his young daughter's chaperone. A job she hated with a passion.<br/>"I'm an investigator." She replied finally, having decided on a convincing enough lie.<br/>"An investigator?" he asked sceptically, "And pray tell me, madam... just what are you investigating?"<br/>"Ah you see sir. That is a slightly more delicate topic." She replied with a false smile, edging away from the blond giant and towards the door of the library in case she had to make a quick escape.<br/>Draco smiled a feral smile before catching her hand in his own and tugging her closer, "You will tell me, Miss Granger or you will find yourself over my knee receiving the spanking your father was undoubtedly remiss in giving you."<br/>"How dare you!" she said in a low voice, outraged. While she may be a lady of diminished means... she was still a lady and had never been spoken to like this before.<br/>"You heard me." He replied arrogantly.<br/>Of all the arrogant... infuriating... rude and callow things to say... she was speechless.<br/>"Well, if you must know, I investigate any man who asks for a lady's hand in marriage. 'Tis quite a lucrative career, many women come to me to find out if the men that offer for them aren't hiding any nasty secrets. Is it not true you've been hunting for a wife this Season?" she replied shrewdly, thinking of a perfect way to make this shameless man squirm, "In fact if my sources are correct and they usually are." she said thoughtfully tapping her finger on her chin, eyeing him from beneath lowered lashes, "You already have your eyes set on one particular young miss."<br/>He drew back as if stung, "Who the hell sent you?" he asked with narrowed eyes.<br/>Hermione noticed he had released her wrist, realizing this was her opportunity to escape; she thrust herself away, mentally kissing goodbye to all the various articles of clothing she had left strewn in MacFoy's garden and ran out his own library door.<br/>...<br/>Draco reacted in shock and surprise as the little intruder pushed away from him and ran out the door of his library.<br/>He had to give chase.She couldn't get too far. Could she?<br/>...<br/>Please, prayed Hermione... let there be a window open somewhere in this godforsaken house. Not only had she been unmasked but by now surely her absence from the ball next door would have been noticed.<br/>Thankfully the library was only on the first floor, she knew if she took the back entrance down to the servants’ quarters there would surely be an open door. Luckily her recent fall in fortunes had given her an excellent idea of where the servants entrance would be in such a grand house. She could hear the heavy tread of Draco's boots, she had to move quickly otherwise the mad dash would have been in vain.<br/>Locating the dark wooden door in the back of the hallway that led to the front entrance she slipped in silently, it seemed that all the servants were in bed. Hermione quickly ran past a banked hearth and a silent kitchen. The back door had a deadbolt that she was quickly able to pry apart and slip outside.<br/>As soon as she was back in the garden, she dashed to the pile of clothing she had left and grabbed her slippers before hoofing it back across the same hole in the hedge she had first arrived from.<br/>She'd be lucky if her aunt didn't throw her out of the house for leaving her young and beautiful cousin all alone for this long.<br/>As she made her way across all thoughts of the Devil Duke slipped her mind. After all, where would they ever have a chance to interact? He was a Duke, and she was very nearly a servant. She wasn't worried about her silly lie being found out.<br/>...<br/>Draco Malfoy was well respected at the War Office for his single-minded determination. Before he had inherited the Duchy of MacFoy, Draco had chosen to serve with the Rifle's in Napoleon's war. A dangerous often fatal assignment that men with only the strongest of wills and the most ingenuity survived.<br/>So, let it not be said that he had been fooled by a wee slip of a girl, he thought with a grin as he watched the small figure struggled exiting from a hole in the foliage that surrounded his mansion,dropping what would be a vital piece of evidence in his effort to discover the identity of his mysterious little investigator.<br/>For the first time in months Draco felt a smile threaten to overtake his lips, he felt as light as smoke... he had not had such an entertaining evening in years. His nights were often spent brooding and avoiding the nightmares that came with sleep. But the presence of such bright eyes and lively feminine vitality had broken him out of his numb shell.<br/>Oh yes... Draco Malfoy would discover who she was, he thought with a grin. If it was the last thing, he did. After all,how many women were named Hermione?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Second Waltz</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>...<br/>Hermione was awake, it was barely dawn yet and even the maids hadn't stirred. Everyone in the Greengrass household kept much later hours than herself, even though she knew her regular sleep schedule was not the reason she couldn't bring herself to close her eyes.<br/>She, Hermione Granger... companion and improvised Miss had just lied, to the face... of a Duke. </p><p>She found herself much too calm at the prospect, she should have been shuddering in her warm woollen socks if she had any sense. While 'twas true they didn't move in the same circles of Polite Society one fact remained, the Devil was not at all what she had expected.</p><p>In her mind she allowed herself to take liberties with his given name, not his title either. Draco...<br/>Oh dear, she ducked her head under her blanket in mortification. But by all 'twas holy, the man was as handsome as sin. And while he wasn't darkly romantic in the ways of Byron as was the current fashion of the fashionable men; dandies and rakehell's of the Haut Ton. The raw masculine beauty of the Duke drew Hermione to him. He was like the heroes of one of her favourite Horrid Novel authoresses, Miss Luna Lovegood wrote about.<br/>Of course Miss Lovegood's creations were merely fiction, yet the Duke had been wonderfully real. Warm to the touch, with tensile strength all coiled up inside his magnificently broad shoulders and his thickly muscled arms.</p><p>Anyway, she reminded herself firmly, keeping up this train of thought would only lead to trouble for her in the future. Besides she could hear the beginnings of the house waking.</p><p>She yawned and stretched, pushing aside her blanket. After all was said and done her aunt and uncle didn't keep her in abject poverty. Yet her place in this house was difficult... she was too highborn to be a servant yet dependent on her uncle's good favour. While she dined with the family, there was little else she had in common with her beautiful yet spoilt cousin Astoria.</p><p>She had gotten along much better with her elder cousin Daphne and had been heartbroken when she married and left to live in her husband's house. Her and Daphne had been like close friends, sharing secrets, reading together, riding together; yet with Astoria the relationship was different.<br/>Her younger cousin treated her like she would a ladies’ maid. Hermione was obliged to fetch her breakfast, ready her beauty treatments and often help Astoria's actual maid in doing her hair. All before she allowed the flurry of suitors, which she has gained during her First Season to pay her any calls.<br/>Indeed, the men were just as eager; Astoria was beautiful, a diamond of the first water with gem-like green eyes fringed with thick blond lashes that she knew just how to flutter coquettishly, an appealingly full mouth and thick amber hair that glinted like shot gold in the sunshine. Yet her beauty wasn't the only reason they slavered over her; her handsome dowry set aside by her dear Papa was nothing to be scoffed at.</p><p>Hermione knew that the Duke hadn't paid a call to her yet, which was surprising considering the contents of his note and it was for that reason alone she had decided to take the risk that she had.<br/>Yet her unmasking was unanticipated... especially for her, a woman who held her unimpeachable record of practicality in high esteem. 'Twas truly an unnerving prospect of being found out and then ridiculed by Polite Society. </p><p>She would be turned out on her nose from her uncle's house as well. But her hope was that in the dark of his library he hadn't gotten a proper glimpse of her face.<br/>Her worries continued to plague her even as Hannah the upper scullery maid opened her door and began to light her fire, yet she couldn't dawdle, she had to wash her hair today and Astoria normally took her chocolate before breaking her fast at noon. She would expect Hermione to have it waiting for her despite them both coming home from the ball during the wee hours of the night.<br/>She quickly dressed in a serviceable jersey gown, a dull blue in colour with a high neckline. She had informed Cook of her intention to bathe today and was sure that there would be a tub of hot water in the garderobe waiting for her. </p><p>Giving Hannah a small smile she gathered her linen drying cloth and a fine soap purchased from the parfumerie Daphné had recommended.<br/>Her cousin was well aware how much Hermione adored the sweet-smelling soaps and the beautiful glass bottles of perfume often on display in Gaspard's and had helped her purchase some orange blossom and clove oil soap for herself. 'Twas one of Hermione's small luxuries, she could afford few enough with the stipend provided to her as a companion.<br/>Soaps and ribbons were her weakness. </p><p>Oh, and of-course, her beloved Horrid Novels and Penny Dreadful's. She knew it was in poor taste to enjoy the macabre, gothic and overly romantic worlds in what the upper crust liked to call 'twaddle' however since she wasn't strictly in the upper-class anymore, she didn't really have to comply with all their dictates. She also believed firmly that all her years of playing the pianoforte made up for all the horrid novels she did read.<br/>After all, she thought philosophically... she still had her virtue and her reputation and really that was the only important thing in the eyes of Polite Society.<br/>One of these days she vowed, once she began her own novel and published it, made enough money to move far – far away from London; she would find a man, someone who she could love freely, maybe even marry.</p><p>But for right now. she couldn't even afford to buy the ink that it would take to put down her words on paper.</p><p>She washed quickly and efficiently, using the maximum amount of water whilst it was hot in the minimum amount of time. For the bathing room was cold and the water in the tub was cooling rapidly. She then washed her hair which was perhaps her one true vanity, thick and springy chestnut curls that trailed the tops of her buttocks. When loose they gleamed like the richest sable and were soft to the touch however most of the time her hair was hidden away under a serviceable white cap.<br/>With her bath finished she rushed to get dressed and begin her daily duties.<br/>Today would be a busy day, it was a Saturday and normally this was the most fashionable day to be seen promenading in St. James Square Park in Mayfair. She was certain Tori would have a number of young men vying for her attention this afternoon and would want to look extremely well turned out. Hermione had selected a gown of pale pink grosgrain silk, trimmed in a lovely white ermine with rani-pink satin slippers and pearls for her cousin to wear.<br/>It was standard to put the young women, especially those unmarried and in their very first Season in light fabrics, those that gave the impression of purity and innocence. Astoria was nothing if not fashionable so while her dresses may have been of modest dyes, their daring cuts and her eye-catching jewels made certain that every eye remained riveted on her. </p><p>Hermione was certain that Tori would be married by the end of this Season and to someone in the exalted circles of the aristocracy; her beauty, wit and dowry guaranteed it. Hermione wondered what would become of her then. Maybe she could work as a governess or perhaps become a paid companion. Then at least she'd have the ability to save some meager funds.<br/>It made Hermione unaccountably angry that women weren't allowed to earn a living, at least nothing beyond a companion or a governess and even then, women were at the mercy of the male members of the house; a lecherous husband or a brother in the family with a wandering hand and a woman in her position would be finished. And it was rare... neigh on impossible for the woman in employ to be believed. More often than not they were turned out without references, a treacherous and precarious position for any woman.</p><p>She yearned for the day when she; a woman would be able to walk in Lloyds and open a bank account for herself, when she didn't have to rely on the good graces of word-of-mouth and silly things like one's reputation standing in the way of women working gainful jobs and for the day when she could publish one of her beloved stories under her real name. After all, even Jane Austen wrote incognito.<br/>Well, 'twas a pleasant daydream but for now Astoria and her chocolate awaited.<br/>...<br/>Draco studied the small note in his hand, it was his own handwriting, and he was well aware of where he had sent this note. Since he had sent many like it and the Duchy was now his.t was his responsibility to provide an heir to carry on the line of MacFoy.<br/>Miss Greengrass, the daughter of a Baron, was one of the women on his list. He had never met the chit, but she fulfilled his requirements of having an old noble name and an impeccable lineage, her dowry while large was of no interest to him since he had a fortune of his own made in the South China sea trade and in the West Indies.</p><p>He hadn't seen his small spy's face yesterday due to the corner she had stood in, but he couldn't forget her dark, doe eyes... or her scent, so fresh and tart... like cloves in oranges during Christmas.<br/>If she was indeed one of the women already on his list that made his life far more interesting. He hadn't expected to feel such a compelling and visceral attraction to the woman with the charming voice and eyes as dark as maple, one who could be his future bride.</p><p>Indeed, he had been willing to marry, do his duty and beget an heir after which he would leave his wife to lead whatever life she chose. While he would return to his country seat in Scotland, where the wild and misty Highlands were a part of his soul and he could contemplate living nowhere else. Especially not London.<br/>But maybe for a wife with laughing eyes and a sweet dimple that beckoned him to put his lips against her cheek... maybe he'd not be content to leave her behind in London.<br/>Today he would pay a call to the Greengrass House and see for himself if Miss Astoria Greengrass was his spy and then... he thought with a feral smile... she was his.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Terms you probably want to know about<br/>.................<br/>Grosgrain- A type of heavy silk with ribbed fabric</p><p>Horrid Novels- The first Gothic novels of their type, often published by women they were considered to be bad taste yet were wildly popular with the normal folk around England. Like Penny Dreadful's were purchased and consumed by the public, fuelling the Victorian Era fascination with horror and the afterlife.</p><p>Chocolate- a type of early hot chocolate drink that was consumed in great quantities by the Victorian's especially those who could afford it.</p><p>Lloyd's- One of England's first banks (source: I lived in England for 5 years for university)<br/>............................</p><p>If Astoria is a Baron's daughter, why is she Miss and not Lady?</p><p>-Daughters of lower aristocracy like Viscounts and Baron's do not receive the title of Lady, only their mother's do.</p><p>-The title normally is given to the daughters of Earls, Marquees and Dukes.</p><p>Were women really not allowed to have bank accounts and own property or work jobs during the Victorian Era</p><p>- No, they could not open a bank account without a male member of the family and the same went for property. </p><p>Edit(Day after posting)- My earlier assertion that this is a Regency Era piece has been put to rights by one of my readers lol, please check the comment section for an accurate timeline and not my shitty research work. Also please keep in mind I am not a historical scholar, just someone who is interested in history and also romance but I don't mind having my mistakes pointed out to me!  </p><p>Hope you enjoyed reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Polka</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione kept her eyes firmly downwards as she concentrated on the book of deportment she was meant to be reading.</p><p>Really, the book was a ruse to hide one of her much-loved scandal sheets, she had had to nearly wrest it away from Amy, the Cook's assistant who had had it for more than enough time in her opinion.</p><p>She wondered if there would be anything about her own fit of idiocy mentioned in the papers or of clothes left behind in the Duke's gardens since she had left in such a hurry. She hoped not. If there was nothing that then meant one of her worries was gone. So far, she had anxiously scanned it and found nary a mention of anything other than news from the nights various entertainments; balls and such. Thank god.</p><p>Tori was entertaining several young men in her family home's yellow parlour with Hermione chaperoning, it was a gorgeous room that faced the east of Greengrass House, so the early afternoon sunshine was pouring in, painting the beautifully blonde Astoria like a glorious Greek goddess; Aphrodite perhaps and the light pink of her gown showed her creamy skin to perfection.</p><p>In fact, everything her young cousin wore gave of the impression of lustrous beauty from the pink-pearls at her throat and dripping from her ears to the pink satin ribbon woven through her fair hair. Indeed, Hermione felt some measure of pride in the way Astoria looked today considering she had picked out the outfit.</p><p>They were so young, she thought with a sudden burst of affection watching her twenty-year-old cousin giggle about the latest piece of Romantic poetry her current suitor had written for her.</p><p>The young men courting the Season's diamond were all young men with handsome manners, charming looks and indeed among them were also Earls and a young Marquees who had only recently inherited the title after the death of his older brother in the Peninsula. Much better than Astoria, a mere Baron's daughter could have ever hoped for. Despite her wonderful charm and hefty dowry.</p><p>Hermione knew Astoria and Malcolm Baddock (A/N- I am not familiar with this character, I just decided to pick someone from the Slytherin wiki who was on the younger side and not so well known) the new Marquees Halifax liked each other.</p><p>They were of a similar age, both witty and beautiful, the centre of any gathering, adored by the Ton and by the way Astoria had tried to hide his letter from Hermione this morning when they had broken their fast together, already slightly in love. He had brought Tori dahlias today and pink ones too... they were her favourite and devilishly hard to find in London.</p><p>Hermione sighed, their children would be adorable. Glumly she looked back down at newspaper tucked into her book attempting to focus on the words in front of her. She did not want a husband, she thought firmly.</p><p>She wanted to write her own novel and have it published under her own name. But sometimes... she felt inexplicably alone, like there was no one who knew who she was... not Hermione Granger the companion, the plain brown woman who sat and read while Astoria entertained... no someone who knew the real her, behind the bland smile, someone to share her hopes and dreams with, to share all the love she had left in the dark and buried once her parents had died, with.</p><p>And she also felt cheated, that just because she was a woman with no family anymore, she had to resign herself to a fate she fundamentally disagreed with. Especially when she was perfectly healthy and willing to go out and work yet remained constrained by the rules of Society.</p><p>Once Astoria was married, she will have fulfilled her duties to her uncle and aunt and no matter how hard it would seem at first, she must-must by any means try and become independent.</p><p>She would start looking for jobs in the morning tomorrow, mayhap a secretary or a bookkeeper of some sort. Hermione was excellent at managing household accounts and the like, her skills at mathematics were legendary among her own family.</p><p>A short knock on the door caught her attention, the maid looked in uncomfortably and gestured to Hermione to come to the door.</p><p>"Astoria, dearest. I must attend to something, will you be alright for a few minutes."</p><p>Tori gave her a distracted wave, her eyes rapt on the young Marquees and whatever story from his travels he was regaling his audience with.</p><p>Hermione sighed and moved sedately to the door where, Betty the senior maid was gesturing wildly. They had been without a housekeeper at Greengrass House for quite some time, it seemed to Hermione that she had been made ad-hoc housekeeper too.</p><p>"What is it Betty, I informed you that we must remain undisturbed while Miss. Astoria has callers."</p><p>"I know 'Mum (A/N- Cockney accent/ Ma'am) however the butler told me to let you know, the Duke of MacFoy is here. He's wanting to call on the little miss."</p><p>"The who?" Hermione asked faintly, feeling the blood beginning to drain from her face.</p><p>"The Duke of MacFoy, 'mum." the maid looked at her nervously, "Can't turn him away can we... 'e's a bleedin' Duke."</p><p>"Language Betty." Hermione corrected faintly, "No... no I don't suppose we can turn him away can we."</p><p>...</p><p>Draco was aware of the vague flutter that went through the cheerfully decorated parlour when he strode in. It was done in the fashionable Egyptian style and gave the room a pleasant, open appearance and at the very centre of all the light was beautiful young woman, looking over him apprehensively while being attended to by several young men with artfully tussled curls, fashionable dress and deeply resentful frowns on their faces.</p><p>God, Draco thought with a sigh... letting go of that breath he had been holding. It wasn't his dark eyed spy but what had he been thinking by adding this girl to his list of prospective brides. She was barely out of the schoolroom. He glanced down at his own unfashionably strict black breeches and plain shirt and neckcloth and sighed. She was much too young for him to marry.</p><p>It seemed that every year they just became younger and younger.</p><p>"Your Grace." greeted the blonde girl with a perfect curtsey, "It is our pleasure to have your presence here among us, we have never met a Duke before especially one as esteemed as you. Please allow me to ring for some tea."</p><p>Draco grunted, damnation he was in no mood to sit around watching children read poetry while drinking weak tea. He was sure that note he had found would lead him somewhere today.</p><p>"Miss Granger." came the refined voice of the Greengrass chit, "You wouldn't mind ringing for some tea, would you."</p><p>Draco's head snapped up and his eyes caught two incredibly guilty looking brown ones. Granger. That was the woman's name last night.</p><p>The eyes belonged to a woman who had been so quiet that Draco hadn't noticed her stood silently in the shadows.</p><p>Draco recognized those eyes... after all he had gazed into them for a rather long-time last night.</p><p>Found you, he thought triumphantly. Noting from the hectic blush on the woman's... and she was certainly a woman and not a girl, face Draco knew that she knew her ruse was up.</p><p>...</p><p>Damn Astoria thought Hermione morosely as a pair of perfectly blade like silver eyes locked into her own and his handsome face broke into a smirk.</p><p>Tea, she remembered belatedly before ringing the bell for the cook to send up another tray.</p><p>He wouldn't approach her, he couldn't, she assured herself. After all everyone in the room would think it strange if the Duke struck up a conversation with the companion.</p><p>However, the clamour over Astoria's attention now that she had been favoured by a Duke, a war hero no less had exploded. Jealous suitors, including the young Marquees of Halifax now turned their determined gaze on the pearl at the centre of the room. Determined to prove to her that they were worthy of her attention... her hand, despite the interest of a Duke.</p><p>Seeing how quickly the younger crowd stopped paying attention to him, the man himself began walking towards her.</p><p>Hermione's heart felt like it would burst from her chest.</p><p>She had to leave.</p><p>...</p><p>"Going somewhere, Hermione?" he asked silkily following her as she edged towards the door.</p><p>"You can't call me that." she hissed out indignantly.</p><p>"Well maybe you shouldn't try and break into innocent men's houses."</p><p>"I wasn't trying to break into your house, odious man... I was just!"</p><p>"Just what?!"</p><p>"Curious..." she replied in a soft voice, looking away from him, "Curious about you, 'twas a good chance to catch a glimpse of you. I regret it now."</p><p>He moved closer trying to see her face more clearly, "Did you lie? Or were you really looking into what kind of a husband I would make for your charge?"</p><p>"Do you intend to ask for her hand then?" she asked, finally looking into his face, her expression unreadable.</p><p>"Oh god no." he grimaced, "Imagine having to converse with a young woman about Byron and romantic poetry and other such twaddle all day long. I will not abide by it."</p><p>"Well, Your Grace, I'd imagine it would be just as taxing on the young lady to communicate with a man nearly ten years older than her who knows nothing about her interests and demeans the things she loves." came the tart reply.</p><p>Draco barked out a laugh, it had been some time since someone had given him such a lemony set-down.</p><p>"Come out of the shadows, Miss. Granger... I promise to behave and not let anything slip about your unfortunate trip last evening."</p><p>She shot him a disbelieving look, her hand still on the door's brass knocker. But with a sigh she turned back and walked past him.</p><p>Draco closed his eyes as he savoured her unusual scent, tart like oranges and warm like cloves.</p><p>She was dressed in a hideous blue gown that hid all of what he knew he had felt the night before. The memory of her soft and firm breasts moulding to the rough skin of his hands teased the back of his senses.</p><p>Today in her garb as the dowdy companion his mysterious spy with the laughing brown eyes had disappeared. Wary maple eyes studied him from under an ugly lace cap.</p><p>He felt the urge to rip that thing off her head, but this was not the place and he couldn't continue talking to her... especially if he wished to avoid causing her any problems.</p><p>He allowed her to pass, watching as she retook her original seat away from the centre of the room. He wished to speak to her, to know what had prompted her to seek him out and why she was living like this... as a companion.</p><p>There were of-course ways to find out without asking her, mayhap it was time for him to pay a visit to his clubs and see if he could glean some information there.</p><p>It had been so long since Draco had felt such hot and rampant desire for a woman or the hot rush of arousal that came after sparring with an intelligent and lovely woman. And lovely she no doubt was... even with the hideous clothes and the cap she wore, she had not chosen to grace him with her delightful dimple today but her tart reply to him had cemented something... this woman was special... she made him laugh.</p><p>He had no interest in whores or casual rendezvous any more, he wanted more...</p><p>After the war, nothing seemed to lift the mire around his vision. All he saw was death, poverty and the fall of good men. When he had been a Rifle; for years he had lived life... even as an Officer and not an infantryman, a life soaked with blood and the stench of war never left him for long.</p><p>Often when he stood on a busy London street or at home, an unexpended sound would return him to the days in Crimea where he had felt the cannons explode near his camp or the sound of French pistols close to his head... his death eminent. And it would take him some time to snap himself out of his stupor.</p><p>This woman had brought a smile to his face... the first one in maybe months. He wanted to touch her... speak to her... but he didn't want to harm her or get her into trouble.</p><p>Her position any household as companion was precarious at best. Talking to her for too long would put her reputation in jeopardy, a dangerous thing for Greengrass who still had an unmarried daughter living under his roof.</p><p>He wished to see her like he had last night; sparking with vitality but right now her worried eyes followed his every move like she feared he would spill the truth about last night any second.</p><p>He had no intention of telling anyone what had transpired last night, that memory was special... for him alone... to take out at night and savour.</p><p>He wanted to know everything about Miss. Hermione Granger.</p><p>Duke's rarely ran off to marry penniless companions.</p><p>But it had been known to happen... a time or two.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione watched, confused as the Duke took his leave from Astoria after briefly providing the young bucks and her cousin a few anecdotes about the war. He was like a big golden lion among twittering fancy birds, he looked dangerously out of place in their cheery parlour and Hermione wanted desperately to be able to speak to him</p><p>She pretended to keep her eyes on her book as he shot her an inscrutable look before leaving through the same door he had entered.</p><p>She had not told him if she really had been looking into him, but she couldn't have. So, he would just have to make of that what he did.</p><p>What in the world was he even thinking by talking to her. She knew Tori had noticed by the curious look she gave her cousin as the Duke walked out. Hermione knew she would be grilled about this later tonight when they were getting dressed for whatever ball Astoria would have decided to attend.</p><p>Hermione had no idea what explanation she would give the younger girl. After-all she had no idea what Malfoy's appearance in the Greengrass parlour meant.</p><p>Would he expose her scandalous presence in his house to everyone?</p><p>Oh god, Hermione thought... she had all but confirmed to him that it had been her. If he accused her publicly, she would be unable to defend herself.</p><p>She began to breathe faster but forced herself to think calmly. He had assured her that he didn't intend to tell anyone her secret. But then what did he want from her.</p><p>This was a disaster.</p><p>Tbc</p><p>...</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Cotillion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco knew that really, a good bribe was the best way to get the information one desired. And bribing servants usually worked best. With a wink to the aged butler and a slip of five shillings to the man discreetly and he knew where the young ladies would be going today.</p><p>Vauxhall Gardens... it was really too perfect. They couldn't have picked a better place. Now normally one had to worry about their young charge being taken off and compromised in the Dark Walk but there weren't too many rules if the chaperone was the one being compromised so Draco had no real qualms about heading to Vauxhall later that evening so that he could finally talk to his wary, dark-eyed quarry in peace and more than anything assure her that he had absolutely no plans to reveal to anyone what had transpired the night before.</p><p>But he absolutely had an idea to steal a kiss from laughing lips that had yet to refer to him by either his name or his title.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione had a memgraine (A/N- Migraine) she was sat in Tori's bedroom on a wingback chair rubbing the aching spot between her eyebrows. Astoria had not let up since they had finally gone up to her room together; her cousin was relentless.</p><p>However, to Hermione's everlasting relief her questions weren't malicious or jealous just simply curious. She had tried distracting the younger girl with talk of the young Marquees paying such ardent attention to her.</p><p>It had worked the first few times but now Tori was catching on.</p><p>"I just want to know what he saiddddddd..." she wheedled in that particularly whiney voice that young women tended to use that worked so well on their parents when they wanted more pin-money.</p><p>"Tori it really isn't any of your business you know, you're a horrible gossip." Hermione said firmly, trying to stay on top of the situation.</p><p>"You're just using this as a moral lecture so that you don't have to tell me Blond and Dangerous said."</p><p>"Blond and Dangerous?" Hermione was amused.</p><p>"It's my new name for the Duke a-'la Miss. Lovegood and he is rather dangerous looking isn't he. It's those eyes." Nodded the younger girl philosophically, "They look like they can bore into your very soul."</p><p>Hermione snorted even though she privately agreed, 'twas very much how she felt when he pinned her with his mercurial silver eyes. Like she was being taken-apart at the seams and examined thoroughly.</p><p>Hermione blushed at the thought of the Duke examining her thoroughly before shaking her head.</p><p>"I want to know." demanded Astoria, "You would have told Daphne."</p><p>"This is emotional blackmail, dearest." Hermione said reprovingly, "You're a lady and not a common fishwish to stoop to such indignities."</p><p>"I'll tell Mother you gave me those scandal sheets to read." threatened the younger girl.</p><p>"Lord, you're as relentless as a hound with a fox's scent!" said Hermione throwing her hands up in frustration.</p><p>Hermione chose her words carefully, "He wished to confirm if indeed I was the same Miss. Granger that had applied for a secretarial post with his man of affairs." She bluffed.</p><p>"A secretary?" Astoria said wrinkling her nose, "You would want to work?" the appalled note in her voice amused Hermione.</p><p>"Dearest think about it... once you're married how long will Uncle and Aunt keep me and continue to pay for my food, my clothing and everything else. I'm 28 as well, there are few chances of me getting married, so the next logical conclusion is for me to find a job. I have it much better than most women considering I can read, write and do my sums and won't end up at a workhouse."</p><p>"You can always come with me." Astoria said brightly, "Once I get married!"</p><p>"That is lovely of you, dearest. A very kind offer." said Hermione gently, "However then it would be dependent on your husband, if he would be willing to take on the extra expense of one of your relatives and I... I would also like my independence."</p><p>"Independence?"</p><p>"Tori darling, I know 'tis not what we are brought up to believe in our strata of society but marriage isn't the only way for women anymore. And money gives you a great deal of freedom and independence. When you earn your own money, you are answerable to no one and no one can stop you from pursuing your hearts-desire or dreams."</p><p>"You heard this in one of your suffrage meetings, didn't you?" Astoria wrinkled her nose, "I knew nothing good could come from you going to those, those women have a warped view of society."</p><p>"No dearest." Hermione reminded her cousin gently, "We just have a very privileged life. What the women in the saloon are demanding isn't just a vote for women... it is a step towards lifting our own shackles, coming out from under the bondage of men and society... to aid all womenkind."</p><p>"Truly bizarre."</p><p>Hermione knew explaining to Astoria what the Kensington Society (A/N-One of the first women's suffrage saloons) meant to her would be fruitless. While Astoria was a part of the collective the women were trying to fight for Hermione knew that she would not see the benefits or feel them like women in positions like hers or uneducated women or women forced into the workhouses with their children due to the deaths of their husbands.</p><p>However, Hermione knew her cousin wasn't the only woman who feared what suffrage meant. They had often had discussions in their meetings about what getting the vote would mean for their collective cause, but the suggestion had been rapidly shot down, the fear that their meetings and that they themselves would be labelled extremists. At the moment their cause had no support from anyone; not anyone prominent in Society and certainly not the Parliament.</p><p>Hermione considered how at the moment even the true purpose of their saloons was unknown to the public, she had merely chosen to share it with Astoria for she knew that if her Aunt and Uncle knew where she was spending Sunday afternoon's they would have put a stop to it post haste. But 'twas good for someone to know where she was anyway.</p><p>Hermione had wished she could have recruited Astoria into their ranks, but the young woman remained steadfastly scornful of their efforts.</p><p>...</p><p>Vauxhall Pleasure Garden's</p><p>Later that night...</p><p>...</p><p>Draco mulled the information he had gained over and over in his head. She was an orphan, the daughter of two rather illustrious individuals in their own fields, which explained much about her, he thought with a grin. What else could explain such audaciousness in a woman.</p><p>Her mother was the famous musician and opera singer Cordelia Granger and her father the illustrious James Granger, one of England's preeminent scholars of the Classic's. Draco had studied the good professor's books while he was in Oxford himself.</p><p>A sturdy, normal middle-class family but certainly not a family that Duke's married into.</p><p>All his life Draco had been taught that the Duchy was above all else, that it was his responsibility to provide an heir with a suitably noble heritage... befitting the Dukes of MacFoy. The war taught him that all men were the same; a rich man fought for a piece of bread the same way a poor man did when the circumstances demanded it. He had been prepared to do his duty and find a suitable Duchess but now...</p><p>Hermione wasn't suitable but he'd be damned if he gave up the only woman that had managed to bring him joy in the bleak years after the war.</p><p>The MacFoy Duchy could go hang. Draco wasn't about to go about selecting a bride to appease his dead ancestors, especially when he had found a woman, one he knew would be perfect for the role of Duchess. Maybe not what Society thought of as an ideal Duchess... but rather what this Duke thought would make an ideal Duchess.</p><p>It wasn't difficult to find his quarry despite the darkness of Vauxhall. The Gardens were lit up with a million tiny paper lanterns, the sounds of the musicians along with the scent of spiced candied apples and lemon ices made the atmosphere warm and inviting.</p><p>Miss. Greengrass was surrounded by a coterie of her acolytes. Each young man clinging to her every word like a honeybee to a flower. Draco knew Hermione couldn't be far behind and indeed in the shadows, studying the acrobats with a concerned frown on her face was the woman he was looking for.</p><p>He had been waiting for ages to do this, he walked quickly towards their little group his silk mask hiding who he was from the view of the general public.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione felt her arm being seized in a tight grip and before she could open her mouth and scream, she was hauled away... a hand on her still open lips.</p><p>Hermione struggled while trying to get Astoria's attention in vain but the darkness of the gardens, the loud musicians, troops of jugglers and actors made being heard very hard. Hermione considered screaming until she looked up at her mysterious captor. She immediately recognised the silvery eyes behind the dark mask.</p><p>Oh, the nerve... she couldn't wait to blister the arrogant man's ears. Just what did he think! That just because she had broken into his house one-time, he could go about abducting her willy-nilly.</p><p>She wasn't having this.</p><p>"What in the world are you up to, Your Grace?" she hissed acidly once he removed his hand from her mouth.</p><p>"I wish to speak to you." He replied simply.</p><p>"Well, you couldn't just ask?" she replied tartly, "Granted my cousin won't notice my absence but this is really beyond the pale."</p><p>"Ah yes, the fair Astoria. Her and that idiot Marquees keep making moon eyes at each other. A rather saccharine affair."</p><p>"It's called romance, Your Grace." She muttered under her breath, "Perhaps you could do with a few tips from Lord Halifax."</p><p>"Meow! The plain brown kitten has claws." Draco grinned down as two hectic spots of angry colour appeared on Hermione's cheek. He wasn't going about this business of getting her to kiss him very well so in an effort to distract her he asked. "So, what did you tell your cousin about why I approached you?"</p><p>"If you must know." she replied icily, "I told her it was because you knew I was looking for a position after the Season ended and we had been introduced via a mutual acquaintance who knew you were in need of new secretary."</p><p>"An excellent lie, my dear. I commend you, you're certainly racking up quite a long list of them."</p><p>"I wouldn't need to lie if you hadn't come looking for me! And then having found me... you didn't even leave me alone! You talked to me!"</p><p>"Ah yes, the talking." he said philosophically, "Nearly as bad a public debauching."</p><p>"Might as well have been." she muttered under her breath, "Not like anything would happen to you regardless... since you're a man."</p><p>Unbeknownst to her they had arrived at the Dark Walk and just in time for the fireworks. As Hermione gazed up in wonder Draco tugged her into one of the dark alcoves so prevalent all around the garden and slipped off his mask.</p><p>"What..." she whispered startled, "What are we doing here? Your Grace, this isn't right... I cannot afford to be caught with you here."</p><p>"Hush, Miss. Granger." murmured Draco, "I wished to meet you here so that we could talk... uninterrupted. I wish to put your mind at ease. I know you fear that I may open my mouth and accidently let slip about your little jaunt during the night but please be assured that shall never happen."</p><p>Hermione nodded tersely, nervously glancing around, "My thanks, Your Grace but I must leave now."</p><p>"Wait..." Draco scrambled to think of something to make her stay, "Are you really looking for a position after the Season ends?"</p><p>"Yes." she said warily, "Why? Do you know someone who may need some secretarial or book-keeping skills?"</p><p>"I have a cousin... she's been hounding me to find her a secretary for months now." He sighed, his cousin Luna Malfoy one of the many Malfoy relations scattered all around England and in many of his homes was an author of those idiotic and melodramatic novels that women and the common folk so loved.</p><p>Draco thought them to be a waste of time but at least unlike the other wastrels in his family including Luna's own father who ran a crackpot paper from his printing press and his own father; the philanderer. He appreciated that his cousin's work at least brought joy to others and that she was engaged in gainful employment. Something Draco highly approved off.</p><p>(A/N- As you all can probably tell. This Draco is a little bit of a stick in the mud)</p><p>"She writes Horrid novels." He continued with a grimace, "Perhaps you would be interested?"</p><p>At the mention of the novels Hermione's eyes grew huge, "Never say!" she had now completely forgotten about being caught in her excitement about the wonderful opportunity about to fall in her lap. "Pray, I must know! Who is your cousin?"</p><p>"She writes for the Minerva Press, under Miss. Lovegood."</p><p>"Miss. Lovegood!" brown eyes grew impossibly large, "I adore her books! Yes, oh yes! I would be ever so grateful to even interview with her!"</p><p>Draco grinned wolfishly, "The offer comes with a price, my wee spy." His voiced grew gravelly as he undid her bonnet. She hadn't got her ugly cap on under it... silently Draco offered benediction.</p><p>"A price... what kind of price." She was wary again, edging backwards.</p><p>"A kiss... I want a kiss, 'tis the least you can do." He teased, rubbing one fine sable lock between two fingers... marvelling at its softness, "Especially after breaking into my home and stealing away right from under my nose."</p><p>"What kind of game do you play sir?" she said cautiously.</p><p>"Come now, Hermione." He purred in her ear, "You're the chaperone... live a little."</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione was tired of resisting the compelling presence of the Duke looming over her.</p><p>She did want to live a little.</p><p>She was a free woman, she could kiss this man. There was no husband or beaux for her, and she had wanted to kiss him since reading about his first tour in the Peninsula.</p><p>So why hesitate now?</p><p>Because it would be so easy for her to fall in love with him. If she was being honest with herself, she had been half in love with him for a long time... ever since that first article but this was so real... too real perhaps.</p><p>But chances like this didn't come around every day and she wasn't getting any younger.</p><p>"Alright Your Grace, I am willing to pay your price."</p><p>He didn't hesitate, Hermione felt his firm mouth against her own. Oh my... oh my... but this was lovely. His warmth was all around her as she felt his large hands slide down her back, one went into her hair... gripping it to tilt her head backwards.</p><p>He licked the seam of her mouth and unconsciously Hermione opened to him. She startled as she felt the invasion of his tongue, but Draco kissed like he did everything else... with conquering mastery. She lifted her arms to circle the back of his neck, touching his unfashionably long hair. It barely skimmed the end of his nape, but it was cool to the touch... smooth and resilient.</p><p>She leaned in further, allowing the sensations to wash over her like a warm golden tide. His touch made her nerve endings sparkle.</p><p>In the dark silence of the gardens with the magical fireworks above Hermione felt like she was floating on sensation... wet, lush and sensual. They kissed for a long moment before the sounds of boots crunching on the pavement doused Hermione in the cold vapours of reality.</p><p>She moved away from Draco, her small hand covering her swollen mouth and the other trying to smooth the hair he had pulled from her pins.</p><p>Draco on the other hand looked unfazed, he simply winked at her... extending a hand so that she would come closer.</p><p>"I'll take you back to your cousin, sweet. Worry not, I'll arrange for you to meet my cousin through your uncle."</p><p>"My uncle! Oh, but what if he asks..."</p><p>"Don't worry about it." He said firmly, "It's now my responsibility to explain everything to him."</p><p>Hermione nibbled her lower lip nervously as Draco wore his mask again, adjusting it and then holding out a hand for her.</p><p>Their walk back from the Dark Walk was uneventful as most people were focussed on the pantomime being performed in the centre of the pleasure garden. Spotting Astoria in the corner with her many admirers Hermione turned to the Duke who simply smiled and lifted a hand to his lips.</p><p>"Go now." He said before melting into the crowd and leaving her standing by herself.</p><p>"Hermione?" Astoria said, noticing her stood a little away from them, "I think the crush is too much, we lost you for some time there."</p><p>Still dazed at what had just occurred, Hermione just nodded silently and joined her cousin. Unconsciously lifting her hand to her lips again.</p><p>'Twas like he had branded her. It was after all her first kiss.</p><p>...</p><p>Draco walked the dark London streets cheerfully, even letting out a wee whistle. Lord... what a night. He had finally coaxed her into kissing him after imagining what it would be like for two days and it had been as sweetly satisfying as he would have imagined.</p><p>Her ardent response was everything he wanted, innocently sensual... he knew making love to her would be the same.</p><p>He would be talking to Hermione's uncle about something... however it wouldn't be about her job as a potential secretary for his cousin.</p><p>He intended to ask her uncle for her hand.</p><p>Tbc</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N- Full disclosure (the kiddies reading this look away) I wrote this chapter after a few glasses of rose and a joint so please excuse any typos. I'll shame edit this chapter later on, other than that enjoy and review!</p><p>Terms you should know</p><p>The Cotillion- A type of country dance</p><p>Minerva Press- The actual publishing house that published many of the Victorian era's beloved horrid novels.</p><p>Vauxhall Pleasure Garden- A popular spot during the Victorian era to enjoy an evening of entertainment. A pleasure garden often had entertainment like musicians, fireworks, actors with food stalls and game stalls. One of the most popular foods was actually a Victorian version of ice-cream simply called ices.</p><p>The Season – The (in this case) London social season was a few months in summer when the aristocracy and anybody with the means to would embark on a whirlwind of events like balls, soirees, teas, musical solons, various vocational clubs like those interested in the metaphysical or Egyptology where individuals could join and the Almac's around town before retiring to their country homes in the autumn and winter months. This was also the time for young women and men who wished to be married to hunt for a partner.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Quadrille</h2></a>
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    <p>It was Sunday and Hermione was running late for her lecture to the Kensington Society. They were hosting a scientific saloon today, trying out the infamous Henry electromagnet.</p><p>Lady Aurora Sinistra who hosted the saloon in her home, had a brother who had only recently returned from America and had on her behest purchased the magnet so that the ladies of the Kensington Society could first-hand marvel at the technological progress made by the American's.</p><p>Normally Hermione wouldn't have been able to witness such a marvellous event not unless she was accompanying one of her cousins, in any case however Lady Sinistra like all members of their little society was a woman of the world; open minded and daring... she was who Hermione aspired to live like.</p><p>She was a woman in charge of her own destiny and was considered an Original among the Ton. Of course Aurora's late husband had been an Earl so there was little anyone could do about her eccentricities besides gossip.</p><p>As a widow and the owner of a rather large and impressive fortune she was free to live as she pleased, even take a lover... if she was discreet, that is.</p><p>Discreet, however, was not a word that existed in Aurora's dictionary.</p><p>It had been greatly shocking for all the ladies that attended when Lady Sinistra had decided to open the saloon for all women who wished to attend. For many of the ladies, they had never even interacted with a person in trade, before let alone a commoner.</p><p>It had led to a mass exodus from their little society to the parlour of Lady Brown who was in direct competition with Aurora.</p><p>Unlike the Kensington Society, the Iris Club formed by the Lady Brown was very strict with its admittance.</p><p>A title was a minimum, but Hermione highly doubted there was anything of note being discussed in those meetings and certainly nothing related to suffrage. That did make her feel a trifle superior.</p><p>Lady Brown's club was merely a place where women from the Ton went to gossip, drink port and play cards. In Hermione's opinion it was sad that they were trying to ape the men's social clubs without trying to bring actual social reform for the rest of their gender.</p><p>For Hermione satisfaction would come the day there were no men's and women's clubs... but a place where one could do all the things one did in those clubs without the consideration of class or gender.</p><p>Damnation would the maid never leave.</p><p>The reason she was running late was because one of the maids, Hannah, had taken to dusting the hallway outside her room. And so, she wasn't able to sneak out as she normally could. The sneaking was unfortunate but necessary since the Kensington Club was often held in the evenings.</p><p>In fact, if anyone caught her in her current attire, she was sure she would be flogged. However, it was much safer than venturing out as a woman who was unescorted.</p><p>It had taken her months to collect all the clothing she now wore since her lack of funds ensured that her chances of buying any of this attire would be futile; the breeches were stolen from the stable boy, the fine shirt which was much too big on her was taken from her uncle's laundry along with the coat and neckcloth. It had been a pain to get Daphne to purchase some men's boots in her size but reluctantly her cousin had done it.</p><p>Hermione studied herself critically in the mirror. This wasn't the first time she had escaped the house dressed as she was and, in her opinion, she made a very convincing young dandy.</p><p>She had bound her breasts tightly and thankfully the long tail of the coat hid her sizeable derriere. The only trouble she had really was knowing what to do with her hair, for now it was braided into a thick coil and wrapped around her head like a crown. After saving her pin money for the last few months she had purchased a second hand beaver hat. She was lucky there was such a large market in London for second-hand clothing. She had made an unwise and probably rather unsafe trip to Petticoat Lane, one of the many places in London that sold second-hand clothing.</p><p>It was pity women couldn't dress like this all the time she thought, it certainly beat the odious and complicated clothing women had to wear. No petticoat, no stays and not a chemise in sight. She wondered if a day would come when women wore trousers all the time and it was considered the norm, she certainly didn't think so... especially not after the way Daphne had reacted to seeing her new outfit the first time a few weeks ago.</p><p>Her cousin had been horrified and had nearly had an apoplexy. Hermione was rather offended, she thought she looked rather good. A notion that was reaffirmed by Lady Sinistra who had exclaimed in delight when she had seen Hermione walk into her home's parlour.</p><p>The Sinistra house's parlour became a lively hub of activity every Sunday, women sat on many tables scattered around the room. All of them engaged in various forms of bad behaviour that would have probably gotten them into trouble with their husbands and fathers; smoking, drinking, gambling.</p><p>Hermione had even seen the occasional opium pipe being passed around. But that wasn't all, there were also women gathered together composing poetry, working on their novels or artwork.</p><p>Her cousin Daphne, an avid enthusiast of ornithology, was working on her very detailed and fine work of all the local birds she had sketched in her husband's country home in Hampshire.</p><p>Hermione had tried to urge her cousin whose eye for detail was splendid into showing some of the more traditional scientific societies her work, indeed Daphne's watercolours with their tiny detailed scientific notes deserved a book of their own. She captured the majesty and beauty of her subjects with a keen eye, the colours of her artwork vivid and their detail, breathtaking. Her fear was that as a woman she would not be taken seriously, and her work scorned.</p><p>But in Kensington she was free to work on her book for as long as she wanted without fear of reproach.</p><p>Finally, Hermione thought with a sigh ... she had feared the maid would never leave. She opened the door of her room a mere crack to make sure no one else was around in the hallway before tiptoeing to the servants stairwell and sneaking downstairs. Once Hermione had made it safely into the gardens and vaulted over the fence (a task made much easier by her breeches) into the alleyway beside Greengrass House she then strolled out with a nonchalant air.</p><p>From her many jaunts in this particular outfit during the evening hours she knew that people often only saw what they wanted to see. And very few people saw a woman dressed as a young dandy on his way about Town.</p><p>...</p><p>Draco was handing his cousin down from his carriage when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>"Are you really sure about this scheme of yours, cousin dear?" came Luna's whispery voice.</p><p>Draco grinned down at the woman standing in front of him. His cousin Luna was a known eccentric, she was dressed in the most hideous shade of deep purple with matching yellow accessories and looked like a silver bird being devoured by some kind of carnivorous flower.</p><p>"Why, I thought you loved playacting, coz." he said inquiringly</p><p>"'Tis very different when it's in the Haymarket or Drury Lane dear... you're asking me to deceive a well-meaning gentleman for one of your many schemes."</p><p>"Would it gratify you to know that this scheme is intended to have a happy ending?"</p><p>"That remains to be seen, your grace. After all, from what you've told me about this woman... she hardly seems like the kind who would appreciate you going over her head and doing what you're planning to do." Luna didn't seem all that bothered by her deception of the good baron, more curious about the woman who he had barely told her anything about than anything else.</p><p>"Well, I have no intention of doing anything at the moment, besides introducing you to Lord Greengrass and telling him about your woes finding an excellent and discreet secretary. I'm sure the good Baron will know it is in his interest to do a favour for a Duke."</p><p>"How very Machiavellian, Draco." said Luna wrinkling her nose, "You have become terrible after the war."</p><p>"Ah yes, well my dear I'm afraid 'tis a burden I must bear."</p><p>Draco stopped speaking to watch in the early evening light as a young man strolled past his host's house with a deliberately casual air. Something wasn't right... there was something very familiar about this young man. Something he couldn't quite put a finger on.</p><p>"Luna, dear... I'm afraid I might have to cancel today's meeting." He said, keeping his eyes on the retreating back of the young man.</p><p>"What!? We just got here your Grace and we haven't even been inside, just stood near the front door."</p><p>"Yes, well something has come up Luna, I'll take another appointment with Greengrass so don't worry about it."</p><p>He signalled his groom and footmen who both looked baffled, "Take Miss Malfoy back to her townhouse please. I will not be joining you, I have somewhere else to be."</p><p>The groom, one of the men from his former regiment nodded sagely, unfazed by his master's erratic behaviour.</p><p>"Draco... you cannot mean to just take off!" Luna said, her voice raising with indignation,</p><p>"I'll explain later, get home safe now, dear."</p><p>And without warning he was off, he had to make haste, or he'd lose sight of his quarry.</p><p>Draco was just in time to see a beaver-hat turn the corner of one of the cobblestone alleys that led out of the Greengrass House was on Grosvenor Square and into St. George's Street.</p><p>Draco followed after them at a discreet distance, all the while trying to understand what had prompted this mad urge. His instincts had never failed him yet; not on the battlefield and not among the glittering yet dangerous world of High Society. If they said that there was something familiar about the young man, Draco simply had to confirm with his own eyes.</p><p>He still couldn't put a pin on it, there was something damnably familiar about them.</p><p>Narrowing his eyes, he realised... 'twas the walk. There was something very deliberate about the swagger, like the person had tried to ape the manners of a young dandy very hard.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione felt a gust of cool evening breeze begin to blow up the flaps of her beaver hat, thankfully she was in an alleyway and quickly looked around before trying to adjust and jam it back down into place.</p><p>Her heavy hair made it very hard to keep the hat on her head, especially since once it was braided it was too thick to jam all the way inside a hat.</p><p>She was incognito she thought with a gleeful smile, 'twas incredibly satisfying to be able to walk down the streets of London... just another anonymous body in the crowd. Women walking around alone during the evening often drew the worst kind of attention.</p><p>...</p><p>It couldn't be, Draco couldn't warrant it. Yet he had seen it with his own two eyes, the thick coil of dark hair hidden under the cap the young man had just adjusted.</p><p>Young man... Young man...There were no young men dressed in such a mishmash of fine clothing living in the Greengrass House. Or at least the shirt was far too fine, the breeches and hat seemed rather patched.</p><p>And he only knew one person with hair the colour of rich cocoa. One person who was definitely not a man and had no business being out this late in the day.</p><p>Draco was furious, if it really was indeed who he suspected it was; Draco would make sure she would have trouble sitting for a week.</p><p>With no more intention of hiding that he was following her, he strode down the alleyway. His breath coming hard and fast.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione turned around just in time.</p><p>Just in time to see furious silver eyes and a very very angry Duke who looked like he was about to carry out a previous threat of spanking her.</p><p>"Your Grace what in the world are you doing here?" Hermione said with a falsely bright smile. Cursing the heavens above under her breath.</p><p>Draco simply grabbed the top of her arm and frog marched her to an alley with a dead-end and that's when Hermione realised, he wasn't just furious, Draco was enraged.</p><p>"I should tell you." she began hastily, "Before you begin to lecture or threaten me, that as a woman who is eight and twenty, I have thought this plan through. Indeed, this isn't even the first time I've ventured out like this."</p><p>Oh dear... that had been the wrong thing to say, for sure.</p><p>Draco pushed her into the dark alleyway without so much as a sound, his silver eyes warning her that opening her mouth at this moment would prove perilous.</p><p>"What you need, hoyden." He hissed from between his teeth, "Is a keeper. You have been allowed to run wild ever since your parent's death and that's why you are out here risking your foolish neck, dressed like an idiot."</p><p>"I resent that." she protested vehemently not even realising that she should probably ask him how he knew her parents were dead. As he advanced towards her, the only sound she made now was a whimper because an enraged Draco was really quite terrifying.</p><p>Is this what the French saw whilst fighting him? In that case, she didn't envy the French.</p><p>"Where, exactly did you get this outfit, darling?" he asked in a silky tone, one that was the complete opposite of what she knew he was feeling. The feral violence that she saw brewing in his eyes was an indication that she had better answer, or risk his wrath.</p><p>"Gathered it over the last few months." she mumbled under her breath reluctantly.</p><p>Draco looked upwards like he was asking for divine intervention. He pressed her into the wall, the evening shadows making his face seem menacing.</p><p>"If I ever catch you risking yourself in such a manner whilst you live in Malfoy Manor, you can be certain that a trip across my knee will not be the only thing you need to worry about."</p><p>"I doubt I'll have to worry about any of it, since I don't think I'm ever going to be living in your house, your Grace." she replied tartly though she was secretly pleased that his anger wasn't for her attire but for the situation that she was in.</p><p>"It's perfectly fine, your Grace." she said rolling her eyes, "Like I told you, I have done this before and never been caught."</p><p>His expression only grew darker.</p><p>...</p><p>She had done this before?!</p><p>Now that Draco had seen it was indeed Hermione, he was having a hard time controlling his rage and arousal.</p><p>Damnnit, the breeches may cover her skin, but they showed off every soft curve of her body. How could no man notice the charmingly curved buttocks, the slim thighs and feminine throat with no Adam's apple.</p><p>Had any other man seen her like this? He found the idea of that didn't sit well with him.</p><p>And more than that, she was gallivanting around Town putting herself in jeopardy. No, this would not stand.</p><p>"I want you to listen carefully, Granger." He leaned in, causing her to startle, "I am warning you, if I ever catch you doing something this reckless again..."</p><p>"But how will you catch me?" she asked, confused.</p><p>Making Draco want to shout, because I'm going to marry you, you infuriating baggage and I will not have my Duchess put in danger. Dear god, he was about to lose his temper and Draco very rarely lost his temper.</p><p>Instead, he just kissed her, a better than the alternative which was to strangle her.</p><p>He was also well aware that any onlooker walking past this alley would assume 'twas two men kissing, something that might get them landed in jail or even spending a night in Scotland Yard. However even that wasn't enough to deter him from tasting the lips of this maddening woman.</p><p>She was as enthusiastic as the last time they had kissed, giving a low moan before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and parting her lips for the thrust of his tongue.</p><p>She had learned he thought with amusement as she opened her mouth to allow him entrance.</p><p>He felt an exhalant laugh rise from inside him, one could get used to such sweet and fiery passion in a wife. The same passion that made her untried kisses, innocent and lush, also wildly exciting.</p><p>Life with Hermione was never going to be dull, that was for sure. Draco cupped her breast under her coat, grudgingly admitting that the only good thing about his Hermione in breeches was the fact that it made everything easier to undo.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione allowed herself to be consumed by the heat of Draco's mouth. His warm and spicy fragrance was glorious, he smelled like the outdoors and a hint of sweat... clean and masculine.</p><p>She felt her body blossom under his expert touch, his strong hands closing around her breast and his rough thumb toying with her taut nipple. Even through the shirt, she felt the electric shock of his touch.</p><p>"You'll answer one question, my dear." He said hoarsely, dragging his mouth from her own.</p><p>Dazed Hermione nodded, willing to answer any question while she was still entangled in his sensual web.</p><p>"Just where were you going dressed like this?"</p><p>With her arms still around his neck she replied in a dreamy voice, "The Kensington Society."</p><p>Draco abruptly dropped his arms from around her, "And just why were you going to that godforsaken place, in the first place? Do you know the kind of things Lady Sinistra advocates for? For god's sake she wants to demand the vote for women?!"</p><p>Hermione felt her previous feelings to pleasure dissipate, leaving in place a cold anger, "And why your Grace, do you not think women are intelligent enough to vote?" she demanded in a mocking voice, "Perhaps you'd like us to sit at home, sew and raise children for the rest of our lives... but I'd just like to let you know some of us have dreams beyond marriage and children."</p><p>And with that Hermione pushed past him, jamming the hat that had become askew when he kissed her back on her head.</p><p>"I would advise you not to follow me." she said coldly, "Considering you have ruined my Sunday evening saloon anyway, I shall just return home."</p><p>"If you think you're going anywhere without an escort, madam... you had better think twice." He replied curtly, grabbing her arm and taking her out onto the main street.</p><p>...</p><p>A suffragette Draco thought with growing doom... would she even accept his proposal?</p><p>He remembered her words, some of us have dreams beyond marriage and children.</p><p>And just what are your dreams, my wild darling? He pondered broodingly, looking down at the woman who he hadn't been able to remove from his head.</p><p>It had never occurred to him, that she wouldn't feel the same way.</p><p>TBC</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N- I would like to thank my wonderful beta TheImperfectionista who has been the beta reader of my dreams, insightful and deeply respectful who has helped craft this story. This chapter and all the ones before and after it are made much better by her skill and wonderful editing. I'd also like to thank all of you, the readers who have liked this story so much. It has been very fun to provide you with reading material you all enjoy!</p><p>I'd also like to add, any confusion regarding the completion of this story are regretted. I am still getting used to the Ao3 user interface and did not realise that if you don't add the number of chapters it shows the story as complete! </p><p>If you enjoy the Devil Duke and Miss Granger, make sure to check out my other Dramione period piece Dragon vs. Maiden!</p><p>Leave a review and enjoy!</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Mazurka</h2></a>
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    <p>Draco was brooding, what a disaster the evening had turned into.</p><p>He had never thought... never imagined...</p><p>He remembered her scornful words all too vividly, not everyone dreams of marriage and children.</p><p>His arrogance had cost him, he had assumed that she had so little that she would accept anything he deigned to give her. Maybe not consciously but he did think he was doing her a favour by marrying her. Removing the stigma of spinsterhood. Giving her a chance to experience a traditional happy ending.</p><p>As it turned out, Hermione didn't mind the stigma all that much and she had different ideas about how her happy ending turned out.</p><p>So, what then? It wasn't like he lacked prospects of marriage, every eager mama with a daughter of suitable age would sell her soul to have her married off to a Duke. He could marry well; a woman who brought power to their union, or money or political connections.</p><p>But why did the thought of that turn his stomach? He had always done what was best for his family but now that he had seen how it could be; messy, infuriating yet full of joy and passion with the right person. He baulked at marrying for anything other than love.</p><p>He had also never questioned his instincts before. Holding Hermione in his arms that very first night had felt so right... like he was holding his woman, the woman who was meant to be his; to protect and love, to raise bairns with. A strong woman who would be steadfastly loyal and for Draco that loyalty was more precious than any dowry she could bring to their union.</p><p>But that loyalty depended on him being able to coax her into marrying him and now he realised he had no desire to force her, he wished for her to come to him herself, of her own accord. For her to want to marry him.</p><p>'Twas hardly like he had any good examples of marriages made of convenience from his family. Or any marriage in his family for that matter. Even after marrying wealthy heiresses, they couldn't keep the money in the title.</p><p>Every Malfoy before Draco had survived and kept the title only by the skin of his teeth. His ancestry was riddled with spendthrifts, wastrels, womanisers and crackpots. The men, in particular, were infamous for their lack of interest in keeping their lands. 'Twas due only to a handful of well thought out alliances with the English kings during the Stewart rebellion that had managed to save the Duchy.</p><p>But there had never been much money in the title that was until Draco came along of course. Born a serious and studious child in a home where instability was the norm, Draco had done well at Eton and later at Oxford. The last of the Malfoy family jewels, judiciously hidden away by his mother, had funded his schooling.</p><p>Draco's mother who had come from a fabulously wealthy aristocratic family was down to her last diamond necklace by time Draco had turned 17. Her dowry had been used to fund Draco's father's love for the gaming hells and horseflesh. Once he was out of school, she sold her last diamond necklace to buy him his commission.</p><p>After fighting the war Draco worked tirelessly to replenish his family's diminished fortunes, investing the income of his more illicit wartime activities into trading routes out of the West Indies, India and the South China Sea. The first thing he had done then, was go out and try and find his mother's diamond necklace. Of course, by that time years had passed and the necklace had been broken down and reworked, having passed through several hands. But Draco had not returned empty-handed, now he had the money to buy his mother whatever diamond necklace she desired.</p><p>Spying as it turned out was a very lucrative business and his government was willing to pay for his skills. He took any assignment, no matter how dangerous.</p><p>What Draco learned was that Britain and her allies were all woefully underprepared for the military and espionage skill of Napoléon. Draco worked with the War Office to break cyphers and carried secret War Office correspondence in his knapsack as his Rifle's unit moved from place to place.</p><p>After fighting two wars and then working tirelessly to restore the Duchy to its former glory, Hermione Granger... was his single indulgence. She was like fine French champagne... golden and effervescent, the kind that made everything seem a little sweeter, a little mellower and Lord knew he wished to sip from her.</p><p>She was beautiful and bold and so entirely independent, that she attracted him like no other. Draco had always been drawn to bright things, mayhap a foil for his own rather staid nature. He coveted all that banked fire he saw hidden in eyes as mysterious as a Sphinx's.</p><p>She has never smiled at me, he thought gripping his brandy glass tighter. Well besides that one night and that was only because she had her mask still on.</p><p>Tell me your secrets! He wanted to demand, yet knowing that that demand would get him nowhere.</p><p>He had never, never in his life succumbed to an impulse as mad as to chase a woman he had only met briefly. But after a lifetime of rational thinking and sacrifices, Draco had finally found something he couldn't give up.</p><p>"Your Grace?" his butler Goyle cautiously entered. He knew Draco didn't like to be disturbed during the evening in the library.</p><p>"What is it?" he said curtly.</p><p>"Sir Mayhew is here, from the War Office."</p><p>Draco sat up. Mayhew wouldn't be here unless it was important, temporarily Draco had to put Hermione Granger out of his mind.</p><p>Mayhew knew Draco preferred to tend to his investments and fields these days rather than running around doing the War Secretary's bidding and in Draco's opinion, he had served his country plenty.</p><p>"Send him up." Draco nodded, getting up from in front of his chair by the fire and walking back to his desk.</p><p>Mayhew was a humourless man, skeletal and cadaverous; he reminded one of a grim reaper, but he was scrupulously honest, brutally practical and exceedingly fair in his treatment of all his men. Draco had enjoyed serving under him, if one succeeded in getting a few glasses of port inside the man they were rewarded with the most abjectly horrifying yet wildly fascinating stories of the years Mayhew had spent in the colonies, gathering information on rebellions.</p><p>The man in question walked into Draco library with an air of purpose; like he had come here to get something and wasn't about to leave without it.</p><p>"Sir," said Draco formally, giving the older gentleman his hand to shake.</p><p>"Malfoy, you have no idea how it lightens my soul to see how well you have done for yourself, but I bring grave and serious news." Mayhew smiled briefly, his hollow cheeks pulling up in a parody of emotion.</p><p>"Sit, please." Draco pointed to the richly upholstered chairs in front of his desk.</p><p>"I'll not beat around the bush, my lad." said Mayhew with a grimace as he sat down, "There have been some unfortunate chatter in the circles."</p><p>"These," he said, opening his coat and pulling out a set of diagrams stamped with a red War Office seal. "Were found on a dead French spy, his body was found in Wapping and by the time someone got around to checking his clothing the Thames had already washed everything away."</p><p>Draco cautiously took the folded and water warped documents from Mayhew's gnarled hand and cracked the seal to spread them out on his desk.</p><p>Inside was a detailed diagram of a multi-shot, revolving pistol. If the diagram was right, this information was priceless. The revolver would provide a soldier with the ability to fire more than two shot's without having to reload his gun and the prototype showed that it was small enough to be carried and concealed.</p><p>"It's a Colt. A First Model Dragoon, it was given to us by some American... friend's... shall we say." Mayhew said, clearing his throat at Draco's intense scrutiny, "It'll protect our men much better." He defended.</p><p>"And make Colt and every bastard shareholder millions. Why are you showing me this Mayhew, you know I don't care for war. I simply did what I had to."</p><p>"Because Malfoy, there are only a handful of people in Parliament who have access to this particular intelligence and even less who have seen the prototype of the gun. To find this on the body of a known French spy, a Napoleon sympathiser. It could spell disaster for this tenuous peace we have now established. And we don't know if these are the only plans circulating about."</p><p>Draco swore under his breath, "I told you after Blaise died that I could see no more death and here you are now wanting me to find out who has given a copy of your precious death machine to our enemies to replicate. That reeks of contradiction doesn't it?"</p><p>"Draco..."</p><p>"What does it matter?!" Draco said bitterly, "We all know you'll manufacture these guns en masse and so will the French but it's not politicians and officers who die on the battlefield, Mayhew. It is commoners, young men... bright men, with futures and their whole lives before them. I have no interest in playing more war games."</p><p>"Then help me stop another war, Malfoy," said the older man, his eyes feverish. "You know if Napoleon ever gets his hands on these prototypes, this continent will never know peace."</p><p>Draco sighed in hopeless frustration, rubbing his temples with his fingertips.</p><p>"What do you know so far?" he asked quietly, getting up and pouring himself a snifter of brandy.</p><p>"The only thing we have deduced so far is that whoever they are, they move among the highest of society. There is no other way they could have gotten their hands on these plans. The prototypes are under strict lock and key at the Home Office. The most logical beginning would be to take a look at those who knew about these plans and work backwards from there. And thankfully it is a fairly shortlist."</p><p>"Are these the only documents found on his body? What about his passport? Or a ticket? Anything to identify him and who he was."</p><p>"Whatever was on him was washed away by the river, the only reason these survived was that they were in an oilskin hidden in a secret pocket on the inside of his breeches and he was identified by a fellow emigree. However I doubt he gave her his real name. "</p><p>"So, the War Office has nothing, is what you're telling me."</p><p>"Essentially."</p><p>"And how exactly do you propose I start gathering any information?" he asked sarcastically.</p><p>"For god's sake Malfoy, you're a Duke! You mingle among the highest society, surely you can think of a way!"</p><p>Draco was just about to decline Mayhew's request when another, much more Machiavellian part of his brain stayed his hand. He knew a certain hoyden, who adored Horrid Novels, and would most certainly enjoy play-acting the fine lady to aid him in an espionage assignment. That gave him added time to woo her, to show her what she would get by marrying him. If her Uncle agreed to allow her to work for Luna and he presented this very tempting offer of a partnership to her, she would spend a great deal of time with him.</p><p>Time he could use to convince her of the perfection of their match. Of course there was a danger to such a scheme and if they were caught by either the traitor who sold the secrets and likely to kill them, or by the Ton, where there was a very real chance Hermione could be cast out. He would be willing to marry her no doubt, but he knew that she would never agree to a marriage that she felt came from a place of responsibility and not love.</p><p>"Mayhew, I should like to consider your offer for a few days before I come up with a final answer to your request for help."</p><p>"That is all I can ask for Malfoy." The tall man said gravely, getting up and shaking Draco's hand.</p><p>Draco walked him out of the library and watched Goyle hand Mayhew his walking stick, great-coat and hat. The older man then departed in one of the many anonymous War Office carriages, leaving Draco with a small sense of renewed hope.</p><p>Draco didn't really know who he was outside of his title and his responsibilities. One of his great fears, being that Hermione seemed to have no use for either of those two things. Then maybe beyond that, Hermione would find no reason to stay with him.</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione was furious, it had been hours since she had been stopped by that damned Duke and she had been unable to stop pacing up and down since then.</p><p>How had he known?!</p><p>Hermione knew little about Malfoy, a lot of her assumptions about him came from what the scandal sheets that loved to write about him.</p><p>Of course they adored him since the Ton loved nothing more than a man who didn't care one whit for Polite Society.</p><p>By all standards, Draco was a recluse, one who had dedicated himself to the running of his estates and family ever since he had sold his commission and returned to civilian life.</p><p>A gentleman and a soldier by all accounts but Hermione felt like Draco wasn't just tending to his responsibilities since the war, he was also hiding.</p><p>The sort of bleak, almost faraway look she had noticed maybe once or twice during their fleeting acquaintance, the sort where if one wasn't looking, one couldn't see it cross his face worried her. She knew many men who came back from war with a sense of hopelessness and with problems like nightmares. She wondered if Draco suffered from them as well.</p><p>In her opinion, the Duke seemed to need some laughter in his life.</p><p>But more importantly, she knew that his sudden appearance everywhere that she was couldn't be a coincidence.</p><p>'Twas clear he wanted something from her, she wasn't a lackwit or a young chit to be fooled. She saw the fire in his eyes when they kissed, he wanted her as much as she wanted him, but it wasn't that simple.</p><p>The truth was harsh, but she knew she had to face it, in their society there existed two sets of rules.</p><p>One for men and another for women, of course since the men had made all the rules including the ones for women, the women were the ones always getting short-changed.</p><p>And a set of rules for the rich and another set of rules for everyone else. There were just certain things that weren't acceptable for a woman of her class. If she carried out an affair with the Duke and was caught, nobody in Polite Society would expect Draco to marry her. Even before she became a companion, her parents were only what could be classified as lower gentry.</p><p>And alas, he was a Duke. He was expected to make a fine match, a woman who could bring a king's ransom in her dowry or the kind of connections that would make Draco an even more powerful man.</p><p>She had to be careful when his kisses were like honey, sweetly addictive. Every time he touched her, Hermione felt all these logical arguments as to why being even remotely involved with someone like him would only cause her pain begin to float away under the sea of sensation he sent through her body.</p><p>When they touched, there was only Draco. No past, no present, no future... no thoughts about what the repercussions of getting involved with him would be just the sensation of his hands on her skin, his mouth on her own... owning, possessing her, slowly stripping away the defences she had built around herself.</p><p>He was the first person she felt like she could open up to in a while and she knew how dangerous feeling that way was. He was putting thoughts in her head, thoughts no self-respecting spinster was supposed to have.</p><p>If nothing else she needed to find out what kind of game, he was playing with her.</p><p>A knock on the door stopped her restless pacing.</p><p>"Who is it?" Hermione asked, wrapping a shawl around her bare shoulders. She had long since changed from her men's clothing into her nightgown and while it was chilly in the nights, it was still the middle of summer and so she had chosen to wear this rather immodest nightgown, hence the need for a shawl.</p><p>"It be Hannah, Miss."</p><p>Hermione opened the door and looked out at the plump blonde maid, "Yes, what is it?"</p><p>"This arrived for ye, the footman asked me to take it to ye," said the maid, handing over a letter curiously.</p><p>Hermione took the letter from Hannah, absently thanking her before shutting the door. She studied the unfamiliar paper and seal.</p><p>How curious?</p><p>She hardly got any letters.</p><p>She hoped Hannah wouldn't go and gossip in the servants quarters tonight, but she knew that was a hopeless prayer.</p><p>The message was simple and one that sent an unbelievable thrill through her despite her dark thoughts earlier.</p><p>Meet me in the garden at midnight tomorrow. I have something to ask of you.</p><p>DM x</p><p>Hermione ran her finger over the bold strokes across the page, she knew this handwriting. 'Twas a note like this that had led her into his arms in the first place, she thought with a rueful smile.</p><p>However, she also knew that she would beg off sick for tomorrow's route with Astoria, there wasn't a power in heaven or hell that could stop her from going to see him. Unwise as it was.</p><p>Feeling light-hearted, she tucked the precious note into her journal, her earlier annoyance transforming into anticipation.</p><p>TBC</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Beta- TheImperfectionista<br/>As always, thank you for your hard work!</p><p>A/N- I have nothing much to say on here today besides how overwhelmed I am by the interest in this story and to thank so many of you for your kind comments /reviews/kudos etc I hope you enjoy the chapter and as always review!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Bed of Roses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Astoria was surprisingly compliant, even agreeing with Hermione - much to her annoyance - that she looked tired and ought to rest. Perhaps the late nights had been too much excitement for a woman of Hermione’s advanced years. </p><p>She just smiled, nodded her head and agreed but it required a great deal of Hermione’s considerable reserves of patience not to box the younger girl’s ears when she started talking about the bags under Hermione’s eyes. </p><p>“And furthermore, I also believe you should avoid rich foods. You must think of your complexion if nothing else! After all, ‘tis a well-known fact that women fast approaching their third decade are in danger of having sagging and sallow skin.” Astoria nodded her blonde head regally, adjusting the folds of her seafoam green walking dress as she sat, like a queen on Hermione’s only chair. </p><p>“Yes, thank you, dearest.” replied Hermione through grit teeth, her fingers itching to wrap around her younger cousin’s neck, “My, would you look at the time! ‘Twould be for the best if you took your leave now, I know you have to visit the modiste today to prepare your gown for the Earl of Huffel’s ball.”</p><p>“Oh yes! I should! Oh, I hope you feel better soon, dear cousin for it won’t be the same without you tonight!” unexpectedly Astoria reached out and clasped Hermione’s arms in a tight hold and hugged her, “You’re a rather terrible chaperone to be perfectly honest though.” </p><p>“Is that why you’ll miss me?” Hermione said suspiciously as she patted the tall girl’s head gently. </p><p>“Maybe a little.” Astoria giggled, “After all, I doubt Mother would let me sneak out to the gardens for a kiss with Malcolm.” </p><p>“Tori!” Hermione drew back, concerned. </p><p>“I know what you’re thinking but do not fret! He has promised to speak to Papa in the coming week and besides we haven’t done anything other than kiss. I believe he would ask permission to court me.” she said shyly.  </p><p>“I know dearest, but you know that a hint of scandal and it could all be over for you. Remember, in a situation like this Society never judges the man guilty of any sin, they can go on to marry again, have children, live their lives free of gossip and notoriety. But a woman’s sins are stitched to her very soul in an indelible mark that we must carry for eternity. ‘Tis grossly unfair but that is how it is.” </p><p>“I know you’re worried Hermione but we’re in love.” said Astoria dreamily, “Malcolm and I are soulmates, meant to be together... we are the perfect completion of each other’s souls.” </p><p>“Perhaps it isn’t wise for me to stay home.” Hermione said worriedly, “Tori darling you must not do anything silly, I understand that you think you’re in love, but you can never....” </p><p>“I would stop you right there cousin, I know you mean well but I have faith in the Marquees,” Astoria said, seeming to be unwilling to discuss the topic further.  </p><p>“Astoria...” </p><p>“Now then! Would you look at the time.” said Astoria in a bright voice, cutting off Hermione, “It’s about time we set off for the modiste, I hope you feel better soon, dear!” </p><p>As she swept out of the room in a flurry of skirts Hermione sat down heavily on her bed, letting her head drop into her hands. </p><p>While she didn’t have much of a moral standing to lecture Astoria about kissing her Marquees. Since she had certainly done more in an evening with her Duke. However the difference was Hermione certainly wasn’t expecting to marry the Duke! </p><p>If caught Astoria could be in serious trouble and as much as Hermione wished to believe in good intentions it wasn’t like there wasn’t a grain of truth regarding the fate of unmarried, ruined misses. ‘Twas rare for the man to offer for the woman after ruining her, obviously such matches could be forced but that required power, political or otherwise and money. </p><p>Hermione doubted her intervention would be welcome any which way but the least she could do was look into the Marquees. Astoria was at that age where she believed she was invincible, and she would not welcome advice or help. Not especially from a woman who she believed could not understand what she was feeling for the young Marquees. </p><p>For Astoria being nearly thirty was akin to being dead Hermione thought with a wry smile. </p><p>But Hermione would do what she could and try and keep her young cousin safe.  </p><p>Lady Sinistra’s saloon was a hive of information. Hermione had already begged off tonight so there was nothing she could do but she would have to keep an eagle eye on Astoria for the rest of the week until she could find out some more information about the handsome young Marquees. </p><p>Like Daphne before her, Astoria had had to fend off her own share of fortune hunters, all keen on getting their hands on the handsomely sized dowries.  And aristocrats, particularly ones who had a penchant for hazard tables or brothels, are likely to spend their wives’ incomes. They might be hard to spot in Polite Society, however gossip about them was always there to be heard in Kensington. </p><p>Lady Sinistra knew all about the unfortunate habits of the haute ton, she was famous for hosting parties that often catered to the demimonde so if there was any information to be had ‘twas she who could provide it. After all her information had to be sound, it came from the lips of mistresses, opera singers, actresses and gambling hell owners. </p><p> </p><p>Hermione would seek a private audience with the lady during the next saloon and put forth her questions.  had no desire to see Astoria ruined by the careless affections of some green lad or used and abused, married for her money and then stripped of it completely. ‘Twas better to be safe rather than sorry, if it turned out that the young man was indeed sincere it would be no harm done.</p><p>.....</p><p>By the time the night came, Hermione’s stomach was a mix of knots and butterflies. Worry for Astoria and a mix of trepidation and excitement about her midnight plans made it hard for her to get anything besides soup past her lips during dinner. </p><p>Of course she was being a hypocrite by going to this rendezvous after she had just cautioned Astoria against something like this, but Hermione knew that an opportunity like this rarely fell into the lap of a bookish spinster and she would be doing herself a disservice if... for once in her damned life she didn’t live a little. </p><p>Astoria had been gone for hours now and wouldn’t return with her parents until the very early morning, they had a full evening of activities planned from a trip to Haymarket to a ball hosted by the Lady Pinkerton, a society lioness whose approval was sought by most of the young debutantes entering the marriage mart.</p><p>Astoria had been flawlessly attired from head to toe in a soft China silk that shimmered like a pearl against her creamy skin, it had small pleated flowers with crystal centres all down the skirt, a low scooped neckline and short capped sleeves. With Tori’s exquisite hair twisted upwards and decorated simply with two plain white roses, Hermione knew that her cousin would no doubt be the centre of attention at the ball. It helps considerably that the diamonds glittering at her throat and ears would also be a cause of much sensation, Hermione had no doubt that tomorrow every fashionable household would have the name ‘Greengrass’ on their lips. </p><p>She was sure Astoria’s considerable list of admirers was about to balloon exponentially. A prospect that both amused and worried her. </p><p>If the young Marquees was serious about courting the Diamond of the First Water of the season, there was no doubt that after today’s ball he would have to get in line. Her cousin’s beauty tended to make men forget that she was the daughter of a mere Baron, a prospect that Hermione’s aunt no doubt relished. </p><p>After all her Aunty Cressida had managed the launch of her older daughter, Hermione’s dear cousin and friend Daphne into fine Society with the military precision of Wellington. </p><p>It helped that the Earl of Davenham, Theodore Nott, had been hopelessly in love with Daphne since the moment he had seen her. <br/>Since Daphne was shy and rather introverted by nature, she dreaded being ‘dragged around like a prize hog at the village fair’ from ball to ball during her Season. </p><p>Daphne and the Earl had married when Daphne was quite old, she had been in her last season and rather happy to not have a season the next year on her four and twentieth birthday. Nott had just returned from France where he had been on confidential duty for the War Office, off doing something mysterious. </p><p>It was only five years ago when they met and argued during the first ball of the Season and Daphne had vowed he was the rudest man she had ever met and that she was glad she was going to be a spinster. Yet they were married by the end of the Season. </p><p>Hermione had hated losing her best friend and closest confidant but even she could see that Theo adored his wife and treated her like a queen. In a time when most marriages, particularly those in the peerage were based on money, property and power, Theo and Daphne were lucky to have found such profound love.</p><p>They were yet to be blessed with children, something that greatly distressed Daphne. Her cousin was prone to bouts of severe melancholic anxiety where her fears would cause her near-paralysis. She often worried about not being able to provide her husband with an heir, but Theo loved his wife. In fact, he was the only man Hermione knew of who had found out his wife attended the Kensington society and not barred or beaten her. </p><p>Hermione greatly admired the Earl and felt his steady, down to earth yet hearty presence was the perfect foil for the beautiful yet shy Daphne.</p><p>Was that the sound of Hannah leaving Astoria’s bedroom after turning down her sheets?</p><p>Hermione looked over at the small clock in her bedroom, forty-five past eleven... </p><p>Only fifteen more minutes. </p><p>Turning down the sheets in Tori’s bedroom was one of the last tasks of the maids, she was sure that the rest of the household staff had retired already. </p><p>She had debated what she would wear to meet him ever since she had received that note. ‘Twould be most logical to remain in her nightgown, it would cut down on the time and effort required into changing and she could also rapidly get into her bed in case one of the servants woke too soon but having the Duke look at her in her nightgown sent a shiver down Hermione’s back. </p><p>Or she could wear a plain jersey frock, it had no stays, and she could dress without assistance, it would also be the most proper... however were she caught, she’d have to explain what she was doing in the gardens during the night fully dressed when she claimed to be sick and then there were her men’s clothes, an idea she dismissed out of hand since that would be far too risky.</p><p>Ten minutes to go now... </p><p>Hermione nibbled her lower lip as she surveyed her limited wardrobe. What did one wear for a midnight rendezvous with a Duke?!</p><p>Hermione hadn’t the foggiest. </p><p>Five minutes now... </p><p>It would take her that much time to sneak out, seems like the decision had been made for her. </p><p>Nightgown it was and she would be wearing her wrapper. ‘Twas all perfectly above board she assured herself, knowing ‘twas a pure lie she told.</p><p>.....</p><p>Draco easily vaulted over the brick wall that divided the Greengrass residence from its neighbours and landed on his feet. Wincing softly when an old bullet wound in his leg protested the rough treatment.  </p><p>He was early of course. Always stake out the target before striking, was a core military stratagem and one that Draco was going to apply in order to capture his elusive quarry. </p><p>The garden was rather large, but Draco had picked a good vantage point, ‘twas a large oak with thick branches that kept him hidden... he was merely taking a leaf out of Hermione’s book. </p><p>The thick branches would keep him hidden while allowing him to see everything going on in the gardens, especially anyone coming into the gardens. He hadn’t told his little spy where to meet him, Draco preferred the element of surprise.</p><p>He wondered what she thought of this, would she even come to meet him? </p><p>Draco swore under his breath, he hadn’t considered that fact at all! </p><p>But all his worries were for nought since only minutes later a robe-clad figure emerged from the darkened house. </p><p>Draco grinned; she was without a cap. Her hair was in two braids down her back; she looked around carefully and continued deeper into the garden, occasionally glancing back to make sure no one was watching her. </p><p>Draco didn’t wait for her to reach him, for he was sure she wouldn’t know where he was. Suddenly he was much too warm; he had never been this bold before. </p><p>Normally, Draco’s machinations and schemes, a trait passed down to every Malfoy, were reserved for battle strategy or finding a creative way to unlock a cypher. This was the first time he had used his unusual circumstances of being both a powerful Duke and a spy in such a frivolous way. </p><p>He frowned; he didn’t wish to abuse his position too much. After all, he had no intention of putting her directly in the line of fire of spywork; she could assist him in asking questions. ‘Twas a task that would make her feel involved and allow him time to make his case to her. But he had no desire to deceive her.  </p><p>Draco had a sense of premonition at that moment, as he drew closer to where Hermione was. Despite his best intentions, he knew that things had a way of going south, especially when one was involved with a woman as headstrong as Hermione. He had to make sure that she didn’t get into any trouble playing this game he had designed. </p><p>He was excellent at planning stratagems, and at the end of this he had two goals. To make Hermione his Duchess and capture the spy hidden within London’s high society. </p><p>Draco’s plans generally went his way but there were always exceptions. </p><p>.....</p><p>Hermione frowned; the dratted note hadn’t mentioned where to meet in the garden. Thank God it was a full moon and quite bright. She felt quite secure now that she was a reasonable distance away from the main house, it would be unlikely for any of the servants to wander this far into the garden, and the gardener’s cottage was beyond the grove of willow trees. Older, thicker trees like oak and yew lined the property giving it slightly more privacy. </p><p>‘Twas a vast house and garden, one that displayed Baron Greengrass’s wealth to its best advantage. </p><p>All thoughts of Hermione’s uncle’s wealth fled her mind when out of the low night mist emerged a tall figure clad in a dark coat. </p><p>It was him! She felt a wild flutter in her belly, knowing with sinking dread that despite the practicality of it all, wearing a nightgown with a robe had not been her best idea. </p><p>Hermione had thought the night quite chilly, yet suddenly she was unreasonably warm. </p><p>“Hello, Miss Granger.” </p><p>Lord... he was handsome, Hermione watched as Draco removed his black coat and draped it over a low hanging willow branch. </p><p>Her mouth went suddenly dry. He wore a simple yet exquisitely cut and stitched waistcoat, a plain white shirt, and black breeches under the coat. Hermione was unused to seeing the top of a gentleman’s throat exposed. He had untied his neckcloth which now hung around his collar, allowing Hermione a glimpse of wiry golden hair peeking out. Was his whole chest covered in golden hair, she wondered.   </p><p>She bit the inside of her cheek. Would it be rude to greet him by running her hand on his chest? </p><p>Draco turned to her, grinning suddenly as if sensing her thoughts. <br/>“Come closer.” He coaxed in his deep baritone, “I have something I wish to discuss with you and cannot do so with you standing so far away from me.” </p><p>“This is indecent, your Grace.” she whispered hesitantly, inching slightly closer, “How did you even get someone to take the note?” </p><p>“I paid an urchin to knock on your door and give that note to the butler.” He grinned wickedly, “Don’t you wish to hear what I have to ask you? I have a proposition for you.” </p><p>“Your Grace, not meaning to offend but whenever a man in your position says that to a woman of my position, the outcome tends to favour the man.” She replied cautiously. </p><p>.....</p><p>Draco wanted to reach out and grab her. Gods above, she looked appealing. Her awful gowns in their dull blues and browns needed to be burned and that hideous cap too, for they had done her a grave injustice. </p><p>They hid a mysterious forest dryad within them. She looked at home in the misty garden and, suddenly Draco was Adam and his dark-eyed Eve stood, eyeing him with trepidation and excitement. </p><p>She looked adorable with her long braids,  robe, which hid little of her shape. She was as sweetly curved as he had imagined, and he had indeed imagined. </p><p>Imagined every night since they had met, how her breasts would taste? Imagined her body’s scent after making love.... the sweet nectar of her womanhood-Lord, how he had imagined.    </p><p>Why the hell didn’t he just put her in the Ducal carriage and make his way to Gretna Green?</p><p>“You’re beautiful,” he couldn’t help but say gruffly, “Why do you usually hide behind those ugly clothes?” </p><p>“I’m not hiding!” she replied, bitingly sarcastic, “I’m not sure you understand, but those are the appropriate garments to be worn as a companion.”</p><p>“But your uncle is rich.” said Draco, confused, “Surely he can afford to attire you better.” </p><p>“I’m sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t realise you had invited me out into the freezing garden with a mysterious note to critique my fashion choices.” She said coldly. </p><p>“No damn it! You know that’s not what I meant.” He swore stepping closer to her, “Damnation, I never seem to be able to say the right thing in front of you.” </p><p>“So why don’t you just say what you have come here to say, Your Grace?” she replied, looking away from him, her lips turned down in a frown. </p><p>“Stop.” He whispered, reaching out and pulling her closer. Ignoring her indignant gasp. “You know that wasn’t what I meant.” </p><p>“Yes, what you think should happen and what does happen in the real world are two very different things. My aunt believes as the Baron’s wife, his wealth belongs to his family and daughters. They’re doing me a favour by letting me stay at all.” </p><p>“Yes, but you’re his family too.” </p><p>“This topic is pointless, Your Grace and you must let me go.” </p><p>“No, I don’t think I shall.” He was frowning like he wished to discuss her financial circumstances longer. </p><p>“Why have you come here?” she demanded, “And moreover, what do you want from me?” </p><p>“I don’t think you are ready for what I want, my dear but for now ‘tis regarding your employment opportunity with my cousin Miss. Lovegood.” </p><p>Her annoyance and anger at the Duke for prodding a sensitive subject instantly vanished,and she nearly danced in place within his arms’ reach. </p><p>“Your cousin has agreed?!” she asked, delighted. </p><p>“She has, pending meeting you. She will call for tea with your aunt and uncle someday soon and upon meeting you decide if you will be a good fit as her secretary.” </p><p>Hermione let out a loud laugh before clasping her hand on her mouth guiltily. </p><p>“Oh it’ll be glorious! Finally meeting the famous Miss. Lovegood, I can hardly warrant it!” Forgetting herself for a moment, she threw her arms around the Duke in thanks, standing on the tips of her toes to whisper her thanks in his ear. </p><p>.... </p><p>Draco felt her soft breasts press against his chest as she hugged him. </p><p>Fuck! He hadn’t been this close to a loss of control since he was a green lad. She felt like heaven in his arms, he wished to sink into her softness, into her warm clove-scented embrace and never leave. </p><p>He allowed himself to touch her hair, something he had been dying to do since seeing it exposed the first night they had met. He twined his fingers through the rich sable fur, tugging lightly to turn her face up to his.</p><p>“Luna isn’t the only thing I’ve come to ask you about, Hermione.” </p><p>“Yes, Your Grace?” her tone was cautious again. </p><p>“Do you know what I did during the war?” </p><p>Hermione looked startled at the sudden turn of the conversation. </p><p>“I believe you were a soldier, weren’t you?” </p><p>“And a spy.” </p><p>“A spy!?” she gasped, springing from his hold, “How terribly exciting!” </p><p>“Why is it that I expected this exact reaction.” He said with a wry smile. “I need someone like you, my dear. Someone bold, daring, with access to the ton and who better than a lady who does not hesitate to don men’s clothing and waltz about London.”</p><p>“But how...” she stammered, “How would you solicit my help, we don’t move in the same circles or have anything in common and moreover what kind of help would it be?” </p><p>“That is why I came to tell you that it is doubly important that you impress Luna when she arrives to ask the favour.” </p><p>“But why me?” she whispered. </p><p>“Besides all the reasons I just stated?” He said exasperated, “You crave adventure don’t you, Hermione?” His voice had turned silky, prompting Hermione to turn back to face him, “I can give you an adventure you’ll never forget. Something that would be in both of our favours.” </p><p>“And what do you want in return? An affair? I would be willing to consider having an affair with you, Your Grace. If you were discreet of course.” she threw out boldly. </p><p>Draco laughed at the chit’s audacity, gods above she made him feel alive! </p><p>“An affair?” he said, pretending to consider the matter. Drawing a frown from his lovely Hermione. </p><p>“Well, you have kissed me multiple times whenever we have encountered each other. ‘Twas a logical conclusion to draw.” </p><p>....</p><p>Hermione could barely breathe. What had she been thinking, throwing that bold statement out without a second thought?! </p><p>He was likely going to laugh at her, and that’s why she was so surprised when he drew her closer once again. Except for this time his grip wasn’t soft, ‘twas like a vice. </p><p>“I want so much more than an affair with you, Hermione Granger.” He said darkly before pressing his lips against hers. </p><p>Hermione gasped at the shock of feeling his firm lips against her own before throwing her arms around his neck. Now that they were kissing, she was willing to admit she had been waiting for this. </p><p>What was it about this man who made her forget all sense of propriety? She felt like a prisoner, for her own want of him was so great. He had been her fascination for so long, she had followed each story written about him in the scandal sheets with an intense focus that had terrified her. In person, he was even more magnificent than all his exploits made him out to be.  </p><p>She didn't want to want him, her ideas of independence fled when he held her, making her feel like a fraud, a liar, a fake… like her saloons and her men’s clothing were all a sham, a performance of progress. </p><p>He stripped all thoughts of Miss. Lovegood, spying, horrid novels and her family from her mind with such ease, so skillfully. Hermione almost resented him and his hold over her senses. No other man had enthralled her thus. </p><p>But soon his touch distracted her. The pleasure of Draco’s firm and masterful grip made her feel warm and restless. She pressed closer to him. Sinking deeper into his embrace, the clamouring voice of her mind silenced under his sweet-drugging kisses.  </p><p>His tongue gently nudged her lips, asking her to grant him access to the honeyed depths within. Hermione was only glad to do so. </p><p>His warm and large hands wandered her back, clasping her by her buttocks and lifting her against him. Hermione gasped as she felt the hard heat of his manhood against the softness of her belly. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle. She could feel every hard and hot part of his body that made him a man, pressing, moulding... holding her own and she wished she was under him. </p><p>He was so strong, magnificently strong, wonderfully warm and tensile. She felt herself grow wet in that dark secret place between her legs. </p><p>Restlessly she moved against him, arching her back to bring herself closer. </p><p>“Patience, sweetheart.” He growled, removing his lips from hers, leaving her dazed. His wet mouth drew kisses under her chin, along her downy cheek... light, butterfly soft kisses that pressed against the sensitive skin of her neck and her throat. </p><p>She felt like her pulse was getting ready to flee her body, it was thumping so wildly. </p><p>Draco let her down but held her close, urging her towards the grove of trees. They would be hidden there, Hermione followed mutely her gaze riveted on the Duke’s muscular back. </p><p>....</p><p>I shouldn’t be doing this, but Draco couldn’t help himself. His dark-eyed dryad responded to his lovemaking with such intoxicating abandon. He simply had to kiss her again. ‘Twas that or go insane.</p><p>He would not stoop as low as to taking her outside in a garden for their first time, but his need for her was great. He sat against a willow with a thick trunk and urged Hermione into his lap, she followed silently... her large brown eyes limpid with desire. </p><p>“For someone who says he doesn’t want an affair, you do seem to kiss me a lot.” she teased gently, running one small hand over the opening of his shirt, “I wish to see your magnificent chest, may I unbutton your shirt?” </p><p>Draco caught her small hand in his own before grinning, “I think you should leave the horror that is my body alone for now, for I don’t wish to scare you.” </p><p>“You couldn’t scare me,” she whispered. </p><p>“Leave it be love. I’m riddled with scars... not remotely as beautiful as you and on a beautiful night like this I think we should look at beautiful things.” </p><p>He wrestled with her gently, stripping her flannel robe to her waist. She giggled shyly but did nothing to hide from him. </p><p>Draco sucked in a breath, he could see the outline of her dark areolas against the soft nightgown, and under his heated gaze, they puckered, demanding his attention. </p><p>To his utter delight, it was she who undid the straps that held the garment together at the shoulders, allowing the nightgown to fall to her waist as well. </p><p>“I take it you like what you see?” she said, a crest of pink across her cheeks, letting him know of her embarrassment despite her bold actions. </p><p>“You are beautiful, like a mysterious forest spirit here to lure me into depravity.” </p><p>“If you are depraved my lord, I assure you it has nothing to do with me.” She replied in a prim voice like his hands weren’t caressing the round globes of her breasts. </p><p>“Hush now.” He said, “I must concentrate, or I fear these beauties would feel offended that I am ignoring them.” </p><p>Hermione was about to open her mouth to give him a smart reply when his warm mouth descended upon her nipple, she moaned softly at the sensation and felt his laughter and his gentle fingers cover her mouth to prevent her from making any more noise. </p><p>The suckling motion, along with his large hands caging her in made her move against him with such wild and intense pleasure... Gods, he could carry her away now. Keep her with him forever; if only he didn’t know how she would hate him for making that choice for her. </p><p>Draco was rock hard, his cock was straining against the placket of his breeches, and his beautiful dryad’s anxious little movements did nothing to help. He could feel the pulse of her quim against the muscles of his thighs. He knew he wouldn’t have to do much to urge her legs to open, to be able to slide his large hand under the skirt of her gown, up her silky leg… to the wetness he would find at her centre. </p><p>But she was a lady, and despite his hard cock he was a gentleman. One who wished to marry her and so if she wasn’t going to show restraint, he would have to.  </p><p>He knew he had gone too far, but the beautiful and utterly alluring offer of her sweet pink-tipped breasts was too much for even a saint to resist, and Draco was no saint. </p><p>Reluctantly, he pressed kisses to both breasts, leaving them to look into Hermione’s pleasure-dazed eyes. He couldn’t help but press another kiss onto her swollen lips before tying up the straps of her nightgown.</p><p>“I’m afraid this might have gone a little too far tonight, my dear.” He said roughly, his own voice raspy with unfulfilled desire. He helped her tie her robe since Hermione’s fingers were shaking too much to be of any use, “You look like you’ve been seduced in the bushes.” He said with a wicked grin. </p><p>“But that’s exactly what happened.” She protested with a cheeky smile. Allowing him to help her stand and dust her nightgown.  </p><p>“You will consider what I have asked of you?” he said gravely. </p><p>“Helping you with your er... activities?” she said </p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>“’Twould be a grand adventure indeed, your Grace.” She said dreamily, “But I must know more of what it involves before I agree to anything.”</p><p>“And I shall tell you more, but I cannot help you with Luna. If you fail to impress her during her visit, all of this would be for nought.” </p><p>Hermione nodded thoughtfully, “I understand.” </p><p>“And as for the discussion of our affair.” He said, pulling her close again, “You and I are going to come to an understanding soon, my dear.” </p><p>.....</p><p>Confused, dazed and still aroused Hermione bid Draco farewell. Her heart was thundering, she had so many-many things to consider tonight and not least of all the shockingly yet fleeting pleasure she had beheld in the Duke’s arms. Now she knew why so many women succumbed to the pleasure that could be had in an intimate embrace.  </p><p>That... she knew, was something she wished to experience again. </p><p>......</p><p>Draco crept carefully towards the outer boundary of the Greengrass mansion. According to his pocket watch, he and Hermione had only been outside for a little over a half hour. He would watch her enter and see which room was hers, just to make sure nothing happened and then leave. </p><p>Thankfully a window on the third floor lit up, letting him know she was now safely inside. Draco put on his coat again before making it to the boundary wall that he had jumped over. </p><p>In the darkness, he felt his foot collide with something soft, like cloth right at the boundary wall. Reaching down, he picked up an old, ragged cap worn down till it was soft. This didn’t belong to anyone who would be living or working in Mayfair. Draco was sure, for not only was the cloth cheap, but it reeked of sweat and stale alcohol.  </p><p>Had someone been watching him and Hermione? Draco felt his heart leap in fear, mayhap it belonged to a gardener who had left it behind. But if that was the case, why had Draco not seen it earlier, the moon was full and the garden was flooded with enough light to have seen it. </p><p>It grated on Draco’s sense of protectiveness that Hermione wasn’t returning to a safe place with him. </p><p>He had to marry her quickly, he wasn’t strong enough to stomach the idea of her in danger.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Beta- TheImperfectionista</p><p>A/N- Thank you so much to everyone enjoying The Devil Duke and Miss. Granger and those of you here to get your post Brigerton fix we welcome you with open arms! All historical romance is great in my opinion. As always this story wouldn't be half as good if I didn't have a wonderful beta, who's tends to fix all my fuck ups and boy do i fuck up! So thank you to the lovely Imperfectionista.</p><p>As always I hope you enjoy the story! Leave a review</p><p>AA's Historical Romance Stories</p><p>Dragon vs. Maiden (currently ongoing)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Devil Among the Fiddlers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat; it had been several days since she met with the Duke in the garden. The days following that encounter had passed in a hectic blur of Astoria's social activities.</p><p>There were always callers in the house, and the balls, soirees, and other evening activities that Hermione was obliged to attend as Astoria's companion were far too many to count since this was the height of the fashionable Season in London.</p><p>Parliament was also back in session, prompting even those most reclusive of the haute monde to return to their houses in London. 'Twas exhausting, they woke at noon and then spent the rest of the day in a flurry of activities, dress-fittings and agonising over Tori's social calendar.</p><p>Hermione had kept her vow of keeping an eagle eye on her younger cousin, which had caused a few contentious words on the part of the young woman, for she was convinced her Marquees was madly in love with her and she with him.</p><p>But Hermione was glad she had stuck to her convictions. For thus far, the young man in question had not approached her uncle with a request to court Tori,despite the girl's assurances that he was simply waiting for the right moment.</p><p>Even Hermione's last trip to Kensington had been put off due to a massive ball held in the Earl of Hardcastle's home. She was getting mightily sick and tired of following around her young cousin like a dour ghost from one of her novels, but until one knew all the facts about Lord Halifax's intentions, she couldn't leave Astoria alone with him.</p><p>Hermione had to admire Astoria's social polish. She was a true Original, beautiful, witty, and in equal measure gossipy and discreet. She favoured enough older and less wealthy gentlemen with dances that she was labelled kind but not enough that any were considered in serious running for her hand. She kept her young gentlemen callers close but their mother's and sisters even closer. Her manners and light footwork on the dance floor was whispered about behind fans.</p><p>"They say Miss. Greengrass is the most ardent student of Miss. Skeeter's Guide to A Young Lady's Deportment."</p><p>"Extraordinary. The chit's manners are simply exquisite."</p><p>"I've heard the Prime Minister himself considered Miss. Greengrass's hand. After all, he is a cit; even a Baron's daughter will have bluer blood than him."</p><p>"I've heard her modiste is French, 'tis the height of fashion you know, to have a French dressmaker."</p><p>However, talk about her cousin's social success wasn't all that she was listening for. It was astonishing what a woman discreetly hidden in some large house ferns could hear.</p><p>The latest gossip Hermione had overheard was that a relatively popular young dandy had been found murdered in the dockyards of Wapping. The young man hadn't been of any great social significance. In fact, it was rather gauche to mention him in Polite Society since he could be considered of the demi-monde. He had been an emigree, one of the many who fled France after Napoleon's defeat.</p><p>But the news was titillating enough for his apparent lack of pedigree to be overlooked. The Ton was always searching for the next bit of intrigue to stave off the ennui brought on by the Season in so many of them.</p><p>While alive, he wouldn't have been allowed entrance into a ball held in a respectable household, but most aristocrats, both men and women, regularly interacted with the demi-monde. Many chose to assuage their feeling of ennui by living like the bohemians, mingling with artists, musicians, opera singers, actresses. The young man in question had been a poet; Hermione gathered that he couldn't have been very good since his poetry was barely talked about.</p><p>Hermione knew that 'twas highly unlikely for Halifax to be involved with something like that but the Duke's unusual request was still at the forefront of her thoughts, making her feel suspicious of all.</p><p>She still had trepidations about his request, but she was sick of living her life in this small brown corner. 'Twas not in her nature to stay so passive, she was tired of meekly nodding her head and biting her tongue. She needed something... freedom, maybe and if it meant she had to take a risk... to live a little.</p><p>She was ready to plunge in headfirst.</p><p>Hermione thought she had managed her chaperoning business quite well thus far. She and Astoria had been effectively stuck at the hip ever since Hermione had decided her cousin's virtue was in imminent danger.</p><p>That was until today.</p><p>'Twas rare for her aunt and uncle to entertain anyone before the fashionable hour of four in the afternoon. In fact, it was considered rather déclassé to entertain anyone in the morning, but from her aunt's air of excitement, this was clearly a big coup for her.</p><p>"Now dear, remember to answer any questions the lady asks you," her aunt muttered out of the corner of her mouth. "This could be a wonderful opportunity for your cousin to broaden her prospects. The lady coming to tea is extremely well connected."</p><p>Hermione had been woken at nine in the morning with her aunt glaring down at her critically. Before she was even fully awake, she had been hustled out of bed and stripped, her aunt barking orders to the maids with military precision.</p><p>Hermione felt like a prize chicken, all plucked and ready for the stew pot. Even her gown wasn't her own, 'twas was one of her aunt's old ones—a hideous shade of lavender that made her look like a washed-out dishrag.</p><p>Hermione snorted quietly; she was eight and twenty not twelve and besides, she had a good idea of where all this was going and was therefore rather meek when her aunt was manhandling her. This wasn't a social call, at least not the kind Hermione was used to.</p><p>The Duke's cousin must have called on her uncle. Hermione was keen to know what possible explanation she could have provided for their unorthodox acquaintance. After all she had no idea how the Duke had explained their connection.</p><p>The morning parlour's door opened, revealing the impressive width of her uncle and the willowy form of a lady beside him.</p><p>"Hermione m'dear," came her uncle's booming voice, "Let me introduce you to Miss Malfoy. She has called upon us with the most distressing news."</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes at the obviously avaricious light shining in her uncle's eyes. Clearly, the man knew that the cousin of a Duke didn't come a-calling every day. Her aunt had plastered an overly bright smile on her face as if this were indeed a social call and had wisely kept her eyes averted towards the ceiling.</p><p>Hermione understood why immediately, nearly choking when she noticed the lady who had followed her uncle into the room.</p><p>Dressed head to toe in bright orange, the lady looked like one of the tropical birds Hermione had once seen in a menagerie. Her large, wide-brimmed straw hat was decorated with silk poppies the size of a small child's face, and her belt was a bizarre collection of what looked like old coins strung together by a haphazard hand. All in all, 'twas an outfit no one could forget, and while unconventional, the lady wearing it pulled it off with remarkable aplomb.</p><p>Hermione stood hastily and curtsied, as was required when greeting a lady with a rank higher than hers.</p><p>...</p><p>Luna Malfoy surveyed the brightly appointed parlour the Baron had led her too, and one thing was clear, the Greengrass family certainly lacked no funds.</p><p>The whole house was rather garish to her and the Baron and his wife obvious social climbers, interested mainly in what their association to her would bring. As she deduced by their somewhat poorly veiled questions regarding her cousin.</p><p>Every mother wanted a Duke for her daughter. But Lady Greengrass, as Luna could tell from their one prior tea before this meeting, was one of those pushy and prodding mama's. One who planned, engineered and executed the launch and then subsequent Season of her daughter with a precision that would make Wellington blush in his boots.</p><p>If Lady Greengrass took to the notion of having Draco as a son-in-law, her cousin could be in serious trouble. At the moment, Luna knew that the younger Greengrass daughter had put her foot down and demanded at least three seasons before she married. Draco might be safe, but mothers have done a lot worse than broken a few promises to marry their daughters off to Dukes.</p><p>She winced. Had Draco lost his mind?</p><p>He had still not provided her with a reason as to why he needed her to specifically request this young woman as her secretary. A lady's companion, she thought with a pained expression, this is going to end in scandal.</p><p>Her lie to the Baron had been simple, she had made the acquaintance of his niece during one of the few balls she was forced to endure, and that was where the idea had sprung from. Luna would never have agreed if she had not been in absolutely dire need of an actual secretary.</p><p>Her publisher at the Minerva Press had declared her last manuscript illegible, The Hunted Crypt, in her opinion, was one of her best books so far, but she needed someone competent to copy it for her. Her cousin's outlandish request allowed her to forgo the normally tedious task of interviewing several dozen candidates. Unfortunately, she owed Draco, she thought with a sigh.</p><p>Her older cousin, while intimidatingly proper, was also steadfastly loyal and honourable. Her own dear Papa and her uncle, Draco's late father, may his soul rest in peace were horrendous with money. Luna had grown up in what could only be considered genteel poverty.</p><p>Luna's debut novel, The Patchwork Man, a serial publication in several small-town newspapers, had just barely made enough money to save the little cottage that her father and mother had raised her, in Ottery St Catchpole in the Highlands, which was near Draco's country seat of MacFoy Manor.</p><p>Her father, Xenophilius, the younger Lord Malfoy was a man obsessed with the arcane arts. Ever since her late mother's untimely disappearance and death, her father had poured all their money into his foolish and futile project, The Quibbler. 'Twas a pamphlet, one which explored the occult and drew all kinds of riff-raff towards her father.</p><p>Draco had saved her just in time, not long after the death of his father and his return from Peninsula to take over the Duchy he had ridden up to his home in Scotland. It had been intended to be a visit to look in on his uncle, but Luna was determined to return to London with her cousin.</p><p>She wanted to write a novel and have it published in London. Draco had agreed, as long as she looked after and helped restore his old and decrepit ducal home in London, he had no time and no taste he had declared and the house had been closed since the death of his father. It needed a woman's touch.</p><p>Since neither were that concerned about going out into Society, Draco's old Georgian house in the once fashionable but now genteel neighbourhood of Islington suited them just fine. And since they were first cousins, a maid had been a sufficient chaperone.</p><p>She had been two and twenty when he had fully taken over his estates and had lived in one of his homes in London for the better part of five years. First, it had been MacFoy House in Islington and for the last few years Draco's townhouse.</p><p>To be fully honest, she hardly knew her cousin. She knew the Duke, of course, but her cousin Draco was like the dark side of the moon. Imminently mysterious and an enigma. He had never, not once in the many years they had known each other, asked her for a favour. Luna has never considered that there was anything she could do for her cousin.</p><p>Draco was very much the stoic and silent sort which was also the outline of her most popular novel heroes. She did admit that she had shamelessly plagiarised her cousin's exciting life from the many and varied accounts of his exploits during the wars. Which she curated from the gossip pages to inspire her heroes and story plots.</p><p>Luna liked to think of it as her artistic tribute to Draco for saving her from her father's madness in Scotland.</p><p>After agreeing to allow her to come to London with him, helping her get her first novel published and then letting her live in his townhouse in Regent's Park, Draco had settled a sizable monthly allowance on her father. Enough for papa to go off on all his wild adventures and continue printing his pamphlet without running out of funds, to pay the servants and buy food. Even Luna, who was doing rather well now with the smashing success of her sixth novel, The Scarlett Stone, received a generous allowance. She had purchased her rather wonderful new hat for this visit with it.</p><p>She studied the woman in front of her. Hermione Granger, like her name, her colouring too was quite Mediterranean. Intelligent brown eyes took stock of Luna before falling back downward. There had to be something going on between her and Draco, like all Malfoy's Draco had a penchant for machinations, she just hoped he knew what he was doing since this wasn't a woman of their class and she could get hurt caught up in one of Draco's schemes.</p><p>"I wonder, Baron, Lady Greengrass, if it would be possible at all for me to speak to your niece alone?" Luna queried in a polite voice.</p><p>"But of course, my dear lady, my niece has always been a clever lass, I'm sure she'll be happy to answer your queries," boomed the Baron, giving his wife's arm a small yank before winking at Hermione, the Baroness on the other hand, narrowed her eyes in a warning glare which the young woman merely rolled her eyes at.</p><p>"If only I had the power to make them leave as quickly as that," Hermione grumbled under her breath as soon as the door to the parlour closed. She blushed when she realised, she had said that out loud.</p><p>"My apologies, my lady. I must seem utterly ungrateful to you."</p><p>"You can call me Luna. It's an honorary title anyway," said Luna airily, brushing away Hermione's excuses. "I must confess Miss Granger, I am most astonished by this unusual request by my cousin, the duke. Since residing in London, I would like to think that I have come to somewhat understand my cousin, but it seems that isn't the case at all."</p><p>Hermione studied her hands clasped together on her lap, "I admit, our association is somewhat... unorthodox but I assure you 'tis nothing untoward." The tips of her ears went red, a sure-fire sign of her lie.</p><p>Luna leaned back against the delicate wingback chair, eyeing the selection of cakes that Lady Greengrass had provided on their tea-service.</p><p>"Why are you so keen to become a secretary?" Luna asked before making her choice of a delicate lemon cake with white frosting on it. "Seems to me like your uncle could afford to provide you with a dowry too. You couldn't marry a peer of course, but a respectable clergyman or vicar isn't out of the question."</p><p>...</p><p>Hermione was peeved; even though she had expected the question, it still grated on her that even Luna Lovegood, celebrated author of a genre dominated by women would ask her about marriage.</p><p>And it's the first question too, she thought rolling her eyes.</p><p>"What about you?" she said sweetly, "Being the cousin of a duke, surely you could marry into the peerage without any problems."</p><p>Luna looked up, startled. It must have been a long time since anyone had spoken to her with such impudence, but the words had slipped out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop them.</p><p>Instead of being offended, the woman grinned, "Ah, you see, the problem is that while I may be the cousin of a duke, I'm also the daughter of a mad man. That tends to drive away most suitors."</p><p>"My apologies, my lady," said Hermione hastily, "I didn't mean..."</p><p>Luna waved her apology away and looked at her with some interest now, "' Tis evident for me to see that while being a companion has sucked much joy from your life, my dear, but you still clearly have a mind of your own. Tell me, what do you dream about Miss Granger?"</p><p>"I want to write novels." Hermione blurted out hastily, "Your work has inspired me so very much. I know this meeting is unusual and even improper, some might say, and I'm sure you have many questions for me but please let me just say how ardently I admire your work and you. Even if we never meet again, your work has given me true joy, and I wish for you to know that."</p><p>"And now I wonder if you'll answer my next question as honestly as you did this one."</p><p>"That depends on what you ask, my lady." said Hermione carefully.</p><p>"What is your relationship with Draco and how did you two meet each other?"</p><p>"I don't think that's any of your business, my lady. Meaning no offence of course." said Hermione in a firm voice.</p><p>Luna shrugged and grinned before selecting a plum tart from the tea service, "You know he won't be able to marry you." she said casually watching as Hermione's hands tightened in her lap.</p><p>"Respectfully my lady, I'm eight and twenty and not a child and even as a child I didn't take unwanted advice well."</p><p>"Ah then I have a feeling we'll get along just fine, Miss. Granger." said Luna eyeing the other woman with a respectful grin, "You're hired as my secretary. Present yourself at this address tomorrow at 9 sharp." Luna finished her tart and fished out a card from her reticule and dropped it onto the small side table.</p><p>"What about my duties as a companion?" asked Hermione hastily.</p><p>"Your aunt and uncle assure me that it would be no problem for you to be away for a few hours every week, as long as you aren't kept out during the evenings."</p><p>"How can ever I thank you for taking me on?"</p><p>"Don't worry my dear I'm sure your aunt will think of something, she doesn't look like the kind of woman to forget a favour." replied Luna with a wink, "Don't worry I'll see myself out from what I understand Lord and Lady Greengrass have had a long night and this visit was rather early for them."</p><p>Hermione walked with Luna to the door and waved as she got into her carriage.</p><p>As soon as she was out of sight and the footman had disappeared back into the kitchens Hermione let out an unladylike scream of joy and did a little jig in the hallway.</p><p>She was one step closer to her dreams, now she just had to reach out and grasp this opportunity with both hands.</p><p>Hermione Granger, authoress. My -my, that certainly had a nice ring to it.</p><p>...</p><p>"What have you heard about the dead Frenchman who turned up in Wapping?"</p><p>Draco faced Theo with his fists raised; the Earl grinned and rolled his eyes.</p><p>"First time we see each other since you buried yourself in the Highlands, and this is what you say to me?"</p><p>Both men had shed their shirts in preparation for entering the ring.</p><p>Bareknuckle boxing, much more savage than its gentlemanly counterpart pugilism, was their sport of choice.</p><p>"I'm sure Mayhew came to you first." Draco grunted, "He knows how I feel about guns."</p><p>"Ah, but you forget, I have a wife now."</p><p>"Ah, the lovely Daphne, give her my best wishes and that I hope she receives that sainthood soon."</p><p>"What sainthood?" Theo said suspiciously.</p><p>"The one I nominated her for once she married you."</p><p>"All jests, Malfoy, you're all jests, but I don't see you with a wife of your own. By the way, what happened to Astoria? Isn't she charming?"</p><p>Draco winced. It was Theo who had suggested Draco add his sister-in-law's name to his list of potential Duchesses.</p><p>"I hate to say it Nott but isn't she a bit young?"</p><p>"No younger than most?" said Theo with a confused frown.</p><p>"Then by god, I feel ancient around these little girls they insist on throwing at me during each ball."</p><p>"Ah..." said Theo with an understanding nod, "You want what me and Daphne have but I warn you my friend it is a rare and precious type of marriage me and my wife share."</p><p>Draco hesitated, Theo was a very good friend, had been since Eton, served in the War Office together, even saved each other's lives but telling him about his intentions for Hermione would put the Earl in an unforgivable position and Hermione in an even worse one.</p><p>"Let's spar." said Draco shortly, "We have much to discuss but we'll do that... after."</p><p>Draco jumped over the taut string surrounding the rubber ring and faced his friend. Both men danced around each other carefully before Theo hit out.</p><p>They were equally matched, the tall and well muscled Duke and the shorter but much stockier Earl and before long sweat dripped down Draco's back and through his long blond hair.</p><p>He slicked it back with an impatient hand as he threw a taunting smile at Theo. Theo was like a bear, all fierce power but no strategy while Draco fought like a snake, skillfully, carefully… leathally. Still they had to maintain some modicum of restraint, couldn't be sending his friend home to his wife with a black-eye.</p><p>Draco had been itching for some way to deal with all the unrequited passion inside him since meeting Hermione. And since he couldn't make love to her this was the next best thing.</p><p>"Christ Malfoy." wheezed Theo, holding up a hand to stop Draco from advancing towards him. "What has gotten into you, man? You're fighting like a man possessed?"</p><p>"I am possessed and by an unladylike hoyden no less." he muttered under his breath.</p><p>"What did you say?"</p><p>"Nothing, now put your fists up Nott I feel the need to pound you into the dust again."</p><p>...</p><p>"They found this floating along the bottom of the banks of the Thames near where they found his body."</p><p>Theo and Draco were in Draco's library enjoying a glass of brandy after their bout. The Earl had just pulled out a small oilskin pouch from his coat and thrown it at Draco.</p><p>"Permission paper's, gold star. He would have travelled on the fastest French ship free of charge." Theo nodded, "One of my men found these while scouring the area after those idiots at Bow Street botched the recovery of the body."</p><p>Draco studied the faded foolscap, the oil skin had prevented major damage, but after days in the Thames water had made its way inside the pouch.</p><p>"So, he did lie about his name."</p><p>"No one named Louis LaLune exists in our files, especially not an emigree from France. He must have misled the woman who identified him."</p><p>"What makes you think she wasn't in on it?"</p><p>"They were lovers, but from what I've gathered our spy had many of those. She seemed genuinely broken up over his death and knew nothing about the blueprints he carried. She could be lying, of course. But my intuition tells me otherwise."</p><p>"What can you make out from these papers? And this woman, the one who identified him, how did Bow Street find her?"</p><p>"She lives in one of the tenaments near the docks, it seems old boy Louis preferred to use his cock as payment for using her window to keep an eye on the ships coming in. We could only make out his first name on his identification papers but something else survived the Thames."</p><p>The Earl gingerly extracted another paper and handed it to Draco, careful to only touch the very edge of it, "That thing gives me the willies." He shuddered.</p><p>Draco took the scrap of paper from Theo to examine it, "Is this blood?"</p><p>"Seems to be a coded message written in blood, but you know I'm just the muscle of our operation." he shrugged nonchalantly.</p><p>Draco grinned, knowing that Theo's affable manner hid a core of pure iron, the man was as steadfast as an ancient mountain and exactly the kind of person one wanted fighting beside them. His genial manner had saved them more times that Draco could count but it also made their enemies discount him... something they always regretted later.</p><p>"I doubt whatever that message is has anything to do with what he was carrying and why he was killed; it's not Napoleon's style to do something this dramatic. A message written in blood, it's utterly preposterous like something out of one of my cousin's ridiculous novels. "</p><p>"Could be another one of his lovers, he wasn't strictly a part of Polite Society, but I can ask about in my club, see if there were any gambling hells or brothel's he liked visiting. From what I understand, he's been using the same false name he gave the woman who identified him in Society. He claims to be the bastard of a great French lord."</p><p>"You'll have to be careful asking your questions." Draco said thoughtfully, "After that idiot from Bow Street allowed those vultures from the gossip rags to see the body for a few pounds, every amateur sleuth has an opinion about the dead man."</p><p>"What was Mayhew thinking, allowing them to remain on the scene?"</p><p>"You know he doesn't have a choice, ever since the war ended officially, they've been gunning for his resignation. The new prime-minister is an idiot."</p><p>"If it isn't Mayhew it'll be some other war mongering bastard, at least Mayhew has integrity and a modicum of honesty. I trust him a hell of a lot more than those fat sons of whores sitting in Lords refusing to even consider passing a bill to compensate the soldiers who lost life and limb in their war." Draco said angrily.</p><p>"Your father must be rolling in his grave knowing his son is a Whig." said Theo with a grin. "and with you being Scottish as well, I thought all Jacobite's were Tories."</p><p>"Yes well my father didn't bother to attend Parliament while he was alive so his opinions on my politics would be moot, now back to this letter… regardless of wether it is connected to his murder or not we must deciper what it says. It could be something very important or just rubbish."</p><p>"What bothers me about the whole affair is the fact that whoever killed him didn't take the plans from his body." said Theo leaning back in his chair, frowning.</p><p>"Ah but you're forgetting how well he hid those, they could have searched the body and failed to find them, after all even in Wapping you can't strip a dead body without someone noticing."</p><p>"Has Mayhew said who exactly had access to these plans and if any of them reported them missing?"</p><p>"No and he's avoiding me. Besides the blueprint on our man could have been a copy, taken without displacing the original."</p><p>"I don't imagine he'll be able to answer your question, he is after all a commoner no matter what position he enjoys in the War Office. None of the snobs there will take kindly to being questioned in a matter that is tantamount to treason, especially not by a commoner. Asking if any of the men he reports to are missing such vital information critical to England's safety and her defence in future wars would be like signing his own death warrant."</p><p>"But you agree, that there is no doubt that whoever the traitor is, he or she is among the peerage."</p><p>"Undoubtedly which is why I think Mayhew did a very clever thing by handing this off to you. There are certain places that only a Duke has access to and even the Secretary of War understands that."</p><p>Draco dropped his head into his hands and let out a long sigh, "This is so much more complicated than being in the Peninsula."</p><p>"You're absolutely right old friend except Society is much more vicious and bloodthirsty than those poor French soldiers they sent to fight us in the Peninsula." said Theo cheerfully, helping himself to more brandy from the decanter on Draco's desk.</p><p>...</p><p>In a very different part of London...</p><p>The lady exited the hackney cab carefully.</p><p>"Are ye sure ye want to be dropped here, mum?" the driver was concerned, judging by the fine silk of the lady's gown and her expensive pelisse trimmed in ermine this part of London wasn't suitable for her. She wore a veil, like a widow in mourning making it hard for the cabbie to see her face yet the rings glinting on her satin gloves indicated that she was a lady of some means.</p><p>Footpads and cutthroats lined The Rookery, St. Giles just waiting to prey upon their next victim.</p><p>The lady disembarked gracefully, side stepping puddles of piss and sewage water and the cabbie had the most astonishing feeling that she was smiling at him from behind her veil.</p><p>"Don't you worry, my good man." Her voice was silky smooth, cultured and yet the shiver that raced down his spine upon hearing it was unmistakable.</p><p>"I hope yer not thinking that I'll be waitin' around fer ye to finish yer errand." He said hastily, wishing for a pint of ale and his bed and wanting to be far-far away from the rookery.</p><p>She didn't bother replying, she walked towards the crowded streets and disappeared in the early evening traffic beginning to engulf the crowded lanes of St. Giles.</p><p>During the day St. Giles was bad enough, the poverty and sense of despair surrounding the place was palpable but during the night... oh during the night St Giles was menacing, a place where a man could have his throat slit from gil to gil while having his prick sucked and still lose a fortune at whist.</p><p>A woman like her would be eaten alive. He'd pray for her soul but for now he would be rushing home to kiss his wife.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Beta- TheImperfectionista</p><p>A/N- As always I'd like to thank all of you who have enjoyed this story, every time I upload I wait anxiously to see all your comments, review, suggestions. Many of you have been asking me how long this story is going to be and if i'm being honest I can't really answer that for you, I had never intended for this story to go past 5 chapters lol! This chapter was honestly a little bit of a struggle to work on since I had to decide if i should be extending this story into an adventure sequence or allowing it to come to a close within the 10 chapter limit i had set for myself which is why it took me a few weeks to work on it. I hope that all of you decide to read and enjoy this story as far as I take it.</p><p>As always your words mean a great deal so please leave a review if you're enjoying this story.</p><p>P.S- I have a Tumblr now! It's empty at the moment but I was thinking of using it to beta story plots I'm working on, it's AuroraAustralice as well if you'd like to follow me on there and get sneak peeks of new chapters/story plots/one-shots or just general cute pictures of my cat, crystals and other fun things I'm into!</p><p>xx</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Beta- The wonderfully insightful TheImperfectionista</p><p> </p><p>AA's Full-Length Stories (currently ongoing)</p><p>Dragon vs. Maiden (Ongoing)</p><p>The Necromancer's Bride (Currently on hold)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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